Angels Fall First
by Terra Blade
Summary: Omniscient beings at a chess board, a relentless organization behind the scenes, a deadly assassin, A teacher from another world, and a girl on the run. Nothing seems connected, but at the center they all meet at the same point; Ranma Saotome.
1. Prelude

Between the shifting ether of the cosmos sat two beings at a table. With both shrouded in mist, their voices indefinable in terms of sex, left identification of the beings impossible. Between them lied a board that seemed to be a strange mocking of the standard chessboard. Its dimensions defied both reality and physics making for a board more fitting the mad hatter then any form of actual play. The being who sat on the side of white looked across at its partner.

"Ah, I see you have acquired some new pieces, but this one seems particularly strange." As it reached across the board to examine the piece in detail, its opponent stopped the gesture.

"No stranger then the pieces you play. Shall we begin again?" The being smiled at White, "You might have won last time my friend, but victory shall ultimately be mine." White grinned back with a malicious smile back at Black.

"Careful, remember the last time you let pride get the best of you." Black then donned the same smile. With that they began to set out their pieces.

* * *

Elsewhere in darkness a figure kneels on a raised dais in white flowing robes with his face shrouded. Everything except for a small hint of a brown beard obscured. Surrounded by hundreds of floating candles he looks up towards a beautiful stained glass window that depicts scenes of Heaven.

"Soon, soon it will come to pass, and all shall be made safe." He speaks to the glass, its voice a rich bass of a man. He feels a presence detach itself from the shadows and make its way behind him. Without turning he addresses the newcomer. "What do you have to report?" He feels the figure draw up and bow.

"It is done; she will be heading towards Japan as we speak. Her friends are dead and we presume she will end up next to the Gatekeeper, as you had planned." The figures sultry voice belays both a female grace and cruelty. He could feel her smile as she continued, "The American police were evaded, and believe she is the one who killed them. Should we give them another target?" The man stood up and turned to his guest, who was shrouded in darkness with only her forest green eyes to be seen.

"No, for now let them think she did it. She will want revenge and thus will be easy to manipulate when the time comes. Do the police have any evidence we should know about?" He very much doubted it, the woman before him was one of his best agents on this world, but it never hurt to be wary.

She shook her head in response. "No my liege, the only evidence they found was that the bodies were injured with an exotic weapon. She would be the only known one in the Santa Fe area to be known for her weapon choice and style." She looks up to her liege. "Perhaps we are putting to much effort onto her. She might have been our original choice but-"She was cut off by the man's voice.

"No! You are not to touch her!" The room shook for a brief moment at the power in his voice. He calmed himself and looked again at the woman who had taken a step back at his refusal.

"I understand you're, _displeasure_, at what she did to you," he continued in a calmer tone, "but even if we found a better option it would be unwise to simply discard her. The Gatekeeper we have chosen is powerful indeed, but has many enemies and is surrounded by a force of chaos. Until we are sure he is in our power, we must be cautious. We must step lightly." He descended from the dais until he stood before her.

"Soon our work will come to fruition and everything will be made safe. He will understand this and if he doesn't, we shall help him see the light." He gently took the woman into his arms. "Be patient my child, soon you will be able to extract your revenge."

Behind him the stained glass window dimmed from the outside clouds, allowing one to briefly see the man's eyes glow a pale yellow light.

* * *

Pain.

Slowly she opened her greenish brown eyes, blinking past sudden tears as the pain lashed out at her. Fighting against the sudden onslaught of the darkness she forced herself to sit up and take stock of her situation.

Looking around she noticed that she was in some sort of infirmary. The plain walls and wooden cabinets along with smell of herbs justified her belief. Along with the fact that she was currently wearing an examination gown, it masked only the bare essentials and nothing else.

Spying her cloths neatly folded on a nearby chair she quickly dresses herself. As she ties her dusty brown hair back with a black cord she takes stock of herself. Wearing jeans and jean jacket with a green t-shirt she covered up most of her body. Her hair, while long, was tied back and out of the way. Still in pain but not spying any obvious injuries she decides to find out more of her current location.

Opening the door gently she stealthily made her way into a larger room. It appeared to be a sort of waiting room. Curious though that posters and magazines about the room seemed to be all in Japanese. Though she could speak the language, and knew enough to pick out its written language, she could not read the writing. But no part of the town the woman resided in dealt with such materials, let alone displayed them.

Suddenly instincts began to flare, causing the woman to drop to one knee. Or at least try to, sudden pain lashing out of her left thigh caused the leg to buckle, sprawling her onto the floor. With a grunt she turned onto her side, raising an arm in a warding gesture.

"Oh my, are you alright miss?" The male voice speaking in Japanese belonged to a taller then average Japanese man. He wore glasses along with what appeared to be a brown Gi. His hair was tied back into a low ponytail that was quite becoming on the man. His hand was stretched down in a non-threatening manner.

But the woman scooted across the floor away from the man. Ignoring the pain in her leg and now right arm she gazed warily upon the man before her. He didn't look threatening, but her instincts told her that there was much more to him then she could visually see.

"W-who are you?" She spoke in Japanese slowly, making sure to form her sentence properly. The man looked surprised.

"You speak Japanese I take it?"

She waved him off, "Enough to get by. I know how to speak it." She tilted her head. "Again, who are you?"

The man bowed to her. "I apologize, my name in Dr. Ono Tofu. May I ask what your name is?" The woman had realized that she was near some seats, and had pulled herself up onto one. She hesitated for a second before responding nervously.

"Rachel Hunter." She looked around at her surroundings. "Where am I Dr. Tofu?"

* * *

The woman's name was Katrina; an old black woman somewhere in her 60s who had emigrated from America some thirty years ago. It was hard to picture her even then as a major underground supplier of the black market; Katrina looked today to be more like someone in the kitchen baking goodies for grandkids then selling guns to the Yakutza. She had a lit cigarette in her lips with one arm draped lazily behind her; she took a puff and continued. The teenager across from the woman paid close attention, idly brushing her red hair to the side of her face.

"Dani I tell you this boy has got some awful, and I mean awful, rumors about him. They say he can hit you a dozen times before you can blink and even leap to the top of a three story building standing, goes by Ranma Saotome. They also say he has got some kinda curse on him. But they just gotta be out of their minds, I mean-" Dani cut her off.

"What's the curse? What, he a werewolf?" She joked. The Katrina looked at her and gave a short laugh.

"Red, I tell you it's the craziest thing; they say this guy somehow turns into a girl and back or something." This had Dani's curiosity piqued.

"What, you mean he's a cross-dresser?" Again the woman laughed.

"Nah, that's the thing that is so crazy. They claim he actually becomes a girl. Not sure about the plumbing, the boy don't seem to keen on people peeking at his undies I hear. But the guy has jet black hair, and then he will suddenly have red hair kinda like yours, and a nice chest to boot." She had cocked her head to the side, "Relative of yours Red?"

"Not that I know of." Katrina shook her head in amusement and from beneath the table produced a metal suitcase. Opening it revealed Shiva, Dani's custom desert eagle magnum along with two extra magazines. As Dani closed the case again Katrina grabbed her wrist.

"Just be careful Red, you don't know what it took to get that thing past those cops into this country. I'm serious on that, don't ask. Don't be using it to much either, other then the local mafia only cops carry guns. They catch wind you have it and you will bring down a fury even you won't be able to run from." She let go and sat back, "The only reason I'm helping your fool head is because I knew Will and your's relationship, and I know you didn't kill him or the others." Katrina stubbed out her cigarette. "Any leads?" Katrina asked hopefully as she looked over her glasses, Dani sighed.

She suppressed a scowl at the memory as she shook her head. "He or she didn't leave much evidence behind, not that the police found. Course I know whoever did it had connections in high places." Katrina raised an eyebrow at that.

"Really now? How do you figure?" Dani gave a small dark chuckle.

"Simple, the cops knew exactly what had happened, before I did. They were pulling up and busting down the door guns blazing just as I was finding out they were dead. We weren't exactly downtown Santa Fe and they hadn't gotten off a shot, so no reason for the neighbors to call it in." This time she did scowl, "twelve people killed before they could fire a shot." She shook her head as a fire lit in her eyes, "Yeah, this guy was a pro who made a mistake messing with my family, and I plan on making him pay for all of it." She suddenly looked up into the older woman's eyes and asked nervously. "How do you know I didn't kill them? Katrina, I don't want you-" The old woman cut her off.

"For one, I knew that you were a stickler of your code." She smiled, "Ambiguous as it is, no,no you didn't kill them. That and you wouldn't be going to Will's granny for help if you had. You're to smart for that. Least that's how Will spoke you to be." She smiled. "Red, I've known you for as long as Will had you in his gang, yeah you can do what needs to be done, but you aren't the kind who is gonna betray her own." She pulled out another cigarette and put it unlit between her lips.

"I'll keep an ear out for any leads, mean time girl you keep your head down as you sort this out. I know its fresh but you gotta keep moving if you want to do anything 'bout it. This school will give you cover, make some friends who would be willing to back you up, you might need it." Katrina stood up and as she hugged the younger girl, she whispered, "Finally, make sure _no one_ figures out your secret, either of 'em."

With that Dani left, leaving the older women to light and slowly smoke her cigarette.

* * *

A pigtailed martial artist moved through his katas with the grace of a dancer. His black hair bobbed as he weaved around invisible opponents. Sweat trickled down to land on grass as he moved around a walled in yard. So focused was he that unnoticed were his observers.

"Oh my, is Ranma still practicing?" A kind looking woman asked gently of her younger sister. The short blue haired girl sadly shook her head.

"Yeah. He has been like this ever since Saffron. Its all he has been doing since the Dad and Mr. Saotome put the engagement on hold." She looked to her right at the ruined wreckage of her family's Dojo. "I'm getting worried about him Kasumi." Before her sister could respond another figure walked out onto the porch.

"Don't worry so much Akane, you know nothing fazes Saotome. Pretty soon he will be back to his overly dramatic life, probably with the freeloading as well."

"Nabiki, that isn't very nice. Ever since the wedding Ranma has been working hard to rebuild the Dojo." Kasumi admonished her sister.

As the sisters continued to talk Ranma focused on his life. Not only had he been forced to take a life while in China, but nothing was resolved by the wedding. He was now a junior in high school, and the craziness would only get worse. Ranma felt it was time to try and resolve things, but how?

He would continue to think on it. He had a lot of thinking to do.

* * *

The pieces were set. "Shall we begin?" Black asked of White. The figure nodded in response, and with that the game had begun.


	2. Chapter 1

"Ranma, hurry up!" A cobalt haired girl yelled behind her as she raced along the roadway with her short haircut bobbing behind her. She was dressed in her blue school uniform whose skirt fluttered behind her. The teenager she spoke to was dressed in a red shirt and black pants both of which were silk. His raven black hair was tied back into a short pigtail which was tossed along as he raced beside her atop a chain link fence. But what was most interesting was that he seemed to be pulling off this extraordinary feat of balance without even thinking about it. The boy shook his head as the girl yelled at him.

"Sorry Akane, what did you say?" Akane growled.

"Ranma, we are going to be late! Honestly, you would think after two years you would be used to this." The girl huffed and turned away, concentrating on running.

"Gonna be _late_!" a black haired girl yelled as she ran along the street. She had overslept, and as such didn't have time to eat or train much to her annoyance. She had thrown on some blue jeans with a black shirt. Currently she was all out running alongside a canal trying to make up time.

This wasn't gong to happen following this road, as the canal beside her curved around and away from her destination. Gritting her teeth she jumped up to the chain link fence beside her and leapt across the canal…right at a guy running on a chain link fence. Right where she was going to land.

"Aw shit! _Lookout!_" She screamed.

* * *

Ranma looked up at the yell and saw a girl flying at him out of control.

Moving quickly he jumped off the fence and moved into a defensive posture to defend Akane.

The girl meanwhile landed on the fence, but in her panic her foot had landed wrong and slipped off the slick surface. This caused gravity and momentum to take over with the girl going face first for the pavement. She braced herself for the impact.

This never came. Opening one eye, she watched an ant crawl away on the pavement, which she still had an up-close view of. She felt someone holding her around the waist.

"You ok?" The masculine voice caused her to look over her shoulder. Ranma stood there holding her easily. Carefully he put her back on her feet, keeping one hand on her shoulder to steady her.

"Y-yeah, thanks for the save." She shook herself and forced the fear she had felt from her mind. Straightening up she saw a girl standing a few feet away, looking concerned for some reason. The girl looked back at her rescuer and asked, "Hey, do either of you know where Furinkan High is?"

"Yeah, me an Akane here go there." The boy carefully took his hand off and backed away wearily. Akane noticed this and looked closer at the girl in front of them. She didn't look special; though her face held traces of a mixed heritage she looked Japanese. Her hair was black and cropped short covering one eye, whose color was green. She carried an American style book bag which she had slung over her shoulders and tightened down to remove slack. Other then that she looked like a normal Japanese high school girl. So why did Ranma react like that?

"You know if you take a picture it will last longer." The mystery girl suddenly said, snapping Akane out of her pondering. Blushing Akane bowed.

"I'm sorry, that was rude of me wasn't it?" The girl laughed, it was a bit deeper then the average girl, almost masculine. "I'm sorry, what was your name?"

The girl gave off a bright smile and extended her hand. "My name is Rei Hibiki, I'm an exchange student from America." She suddenly became nervous as both gave her appraising looks and dropped her hand.

"You related to a Ryoga Hibiki or somthin'?" Ranma asked.

"Or somthin, who are you? You introduced your girlfriend but never yourself." She looked him over, something nagging at the back of her mind. The boy drew himself up and with a practiced air stated his name.

"Name's Ranma Saotome of the Saotome school of "anything goes"." The girl giggled. Akane again noticed something was off about it, she also noticed that Ranma didn't react to the girlfriend crack.

"Anything goes martial arts huh? Sounds _very_ interesting." Rei looked down at her wristwatch. "But that will have to wait; can you both show me to the school now? We are going to be late." With a gasp the two other teens looked at each other and took off down the street, leaving Rei to bring up the rear.

_Ranma Saotome huh? This will make things _…_interesting. _ The raven hair girl gave a feral grin as she headed to school.

* * *

"You mean you really don't know how you arrived here Miss Hunter?" Dr. Tofu asked as he handed a cup of tea to the woman on his couch. A short explanation in the waiting room downstairs revealed that Rachel was from another country. America to be precise.

"Yes, I was driving my scooter to the school where I teach and then everything went black. I remember…something from the blackness and then the last thing I remember is being surrounded by blue." Dr. Tofu cleared his throat.

"Actually I can explain about that last one, I was practicing my art behind my clinic when I saw something falling from the sky. At first I thought it was a regular patient of mine, but I realized quickly it was something else." He paused as he saw the woman staring at him.

"You have patients fall from the sky?" She sputtered out, shock very evident on her face.

Adjusting his glasses Tofu sat on another couch opposite of Rachel's. He brushed aside a few charts on the coffee table and set his tea cup down.

"I have some unusual patients Miss Hunter. But I managed to catch you before you fell to the pavement. However it looked like you had already sustained injuries. Your body was covered in abrasions, and several lacerations. Worst was that your left femur was shattered. Rachel gasped.

"Why wasn't I in a hospital?!" She demanded as she stood up, looming imposingly over the good doctor. Tofu wasn't perturbed and simply drank from his tea cup with his eyes closed. Rachel quickly composed herself and continued, "I was obviously seriously injured, why am I in a clinic, and why am I not bandaged or in a cast? I couldn't have been out to long as I'm not fatigued in the manner that would be common of a patient being unconscious for an extended time." She sat down, carful to keep her calm as she waited or the doctor to explain himself.

Tofu gently replaced the cup onto the table before opening his eyes. "I apologize, Miss Hunter, if you feel I acted inappropriately. I normally would have done just what you stated, however I felt something…unique about your condition." He looked her over once, in a manner of a scientist being shown a unique problem. "I know what you are, or rather what you were Miss Hunter. It has been at least one year since your surgery has it not?"

"H-how did you know about that?" She brought her hands over her body protectively. Her gaze showing a fear that one only has for those who violate them. Dr. Tofu quickly began to ward off her as he realized what she implied.

"N-no, you got it all wrong. I would never violate someone like you. I mean not that you aren't pretty but I have someone else I want to violate." With a look of horror at what he just said he continued, this time the words spilling out even faster, "That's not what I meant, I meant-" He was cut off by the woman beginning to laugh.

"I believe you Dr. Tofu. But how did you know?" Tofu sat down as the woman continued to giggle, her posture more at ease. He straightened his glasses and with a sigh continued.

"I observed your aura. On most people it is like a flame or nimbus of color. Denoting a few basic facts about a person, such as their mood or if a sickness is present. You however have two auras. It is a rather unique indicator of your condition as a 'two-spirit'."

"Two auras? You claim you can see auras plain as day?" The look she leveled at the doctor was one of disbelief. "Last I heard you need a special camera to do that." Rachel shook her head, "Next you will say that magic, demons, and crazy high wire martial arts moves exist." She started to laugh.

"They do." Was the simple reply, abruptly Rachel stopped laughing.

"Right then, I think it would be best to be on my way. So if you could direct me to the American Embassy I would appreciate it." She stood and placed the tea cup on the table. Turning to leave she managed three steps before the pain in her leg and sudden vertigo overcame her.

Diving Tofu managed to catch her before she hit the ground. He helped her stand and sat her back onto the couch. This time he sat next to her. "Are you ok Miss Hunter?"

Rachel tried to get the world back into focus, after a few moments it decided to settle down. "I think so doctor." She managed to weakly get out. "What is wrong with me?"

"I hadn't finished explaining yet. Quite honestly, from my examination you should have been dead. Obviously and thankfully this was not the case."

"You still haven't answered my question, directly."

Dr. Tofu seemed to hesitate, "Miss Hunter, do you know what Ki is?"

She struggled for an answer, "Ki…a kind of spiritual energy right? Our bodies produce this energy." Dr. Tofu nodded.

"Right, everything living and to a point un-living produces it. Some produce excess of it, but that isn't the case with you." He leaned back in his chair, "Miss Hunter, your levels of Ki are low compared to most normal people. However from the time I brought you here to even now, your body has been adapting to produce more Ki. In fact, in the three days since you've been here your wounds have healed at a remarkable rate. Only one other person I know of can heal this quickly and he studied martial arts for years."

"While I haven't in my life, and it shows. Correct?" Rachel finished for him. He nodded. She sighed and reached into her jacket and pulled out a pendent. The woman was glad that it had survived her trip, whatever it was.

She handed it to Doctor Tofu. It was a silver pendent. The shape of the pendent was that of a pentacle which lay upon an onyx ring. It was of high craftsmanship and had astrological signs in a silver ring around the star.

"So you are a pagan I take it?" Tofu handed it back to Rachel, who then put the necklace around her neck. "Why did you show me that?"

Rachel sighed, "Ok, first I want to make it clear that I do not worship devils or anything like that. I am a Wiccan, but if anything I could be described as a White Witch."

"I understand what a Wiccan is Miss Hunter. I think I also understand where you are going with this. You think that the healing might have come from frequent use of your magic, right?"

She nodded, "Yes, but it still doesn't quite add up." She shook her head, as if in denial about what she was about to say. "Magic does not work like this, it supports or guides. What you are saying about my leg would mean that it was powerful enough to supersede my bodies healing process. None except the gods can do that, and they usually don't."

"You think magic of this level doesn't exist?" Dr. Tofu had a surprised look on his face as he pondered what the woman was talking about. He stood up and walked over to the window and looked down onto the street.

"Dr. Tofu, what's wrong"

The doctor turned back to his guest, "Tell me, does anything feel odd to you right now? Anything feel off?"

"You mean beside the fact I'm in a different country then I woke up this morning talking about magic in Japanese? Not much." She managed to deadpan.

"Please bear with me Miss Hunter, this is very important. Is there anything that you can feel that is off with say how the energy in this room feels? Tofu insisted.

Rachel tilted her head, "Well I can try to 'feel' the room if that is what you are implying." She didn't know where Tofu was taking this but she closed her eyes and focused. "Ok, give me a second."

Rachel had been a practicing Wiccan for years. As such she had come to understand some things about the world and how it worked. Most people don't think that words or thoughts matter or can alter the world. They feel it can _inspire_ change, but not _be_ change.

But a wiccan feels differently. With sufficient Will and Imagination you could effectively make change. It was mind over matter in its purist sense. Thus one had more control over their world then they originally thought. When you start to accept this, it means that you begin to pick up on other things as well. Such as how everything is connected and how everything resonates to some degree with energy and life.

But to work with this energy required training and dedication. Both of which could be done on one's own, as Rachel had done. But the first thing you had to learn was to 'see' and 'feel' the energy. This was what Rachel was currently trying to do.

She extended her senses out and felt her surroundings. Gently she began to feel the room and its dimensions. She felt the warmth of the office from the many visitors that had come and gone over the years. Reaching out she felt the energy itself, and immediately she felt something was different. It must have shown on her face.

"Is something wrong?" Dr. Tofu asked, but somehow not sounding surprised.

"It feels strange, the energy I mean." She kept her eyes closed. "It is almost like it is more potent or denser. I've never seen this before." She paused, "I'm going to try and pull some to me."

At first there was no sign of anything happening. Though Tofu could sense the woman doing something, it was almost an imperceptible tugging from her encouraging the energy to her. Suddenly the gentle tugging turned into a whirlwind as Rachel screamed. Lines all along her body suddenly flared into visible light as she writhed in pain.

Tofu struggled against the wind to reach the screaming woman. After a moment he made it and reached out, quickly tapping a point on her neck. Instantly she slumped and the winds died instantly. Pieces of paper still fluttered down as Tofu looked upon his patient, and most notably the lines that now seemed to travel all over her visible body. To the casual observer it would seem like the woman had gotten a very tacky tattoo. But Tofu recognized them as Ki lines for the body, clearly marked out as if on a chart or a practice dummy. All of this left one burning question in the doctor's mind.

Who was this woman?

* * *

Rei dodged to the left as her opponent looked for an opening. Quickly blocking the attempt to pass her defenses she followed up with a return kick. Both opponents were sweaty and tired. The match had been on for three minutes without a break for either one. The cheering crowd calling to both opponents, hoping their side would win.

"Common Akane, you can do it!"

"Rei, hang in there!"

Rei looked Akane in the eye and smirked, "Gonna give in or what? You can't beat me you know." Akane growled in response.

"You haven't won yet! I'm not going to lose!" To prove her point she slipped her foot under the soccer ball and flipped it into the air. Jumping after it she managed to do a circle kick to the ball, sending it screaming through the air at the goalie. The girl simply dove to the side as the ball slammed into the ground first and then tore into the net, tipping the entire goal over onto it's side.

As Akane landed Rei whistled, "Remind me never to piss you off." She smiled at Akane and held out her hand. "Good match!"

Akane shook her head. "Rei, remember you are in Japan now. You are supposed to bow." Akane matched words to action and Rei followed, speaking her thanks.

It had been an interesting morning as Rei made the rounds for the first day of school. It turned out that she had been put into the same class as Akane and surprisingly Ranma. She had been happy as it meant she wouldn't have to manipulate anyone to get to that position to begin with.

It had been hard to change into her gym clothes for PE, Rei swore that all girl's uniforms were designed by perverts. The extremely short cropped bikini style shorts had made it difficult to change in the open locker room, forcing her to wait until most of the girls had left already. But she made it out to the field where the girls were playing soccer. Being the outsider she was picked last, and placed on the opposite team as Akane.

Rei had planned to hold back for most of the match as to not draw attention to herself. But her competitive nature was stirred as iy became Akane was well past the girls in terms of skill and power. Stepping up the level gradually had Akane matching her toe to toe, until eventually they stalemated. At least until Akane had pulled that last stunt and won the match.

"Only a tomboy like you could pull that off Akane! Better be careful, looks like Rei is nearly as good as you." Rei looked over to see Ranma walking up. She also felt Akane getting rather mad beside her.

"Shut up Ranma! What would you know?" Akane retorted.

"More then a sexless tomboy like you!"

"Rannmaaa!" Rei could see the air around Akane begin to shimmer a deep red. Oh boy, she was going to kill Ranma before Rei could get the info she needed!

"Um, aren't you two dating?" Rei interrupted. Akane blanched and surprisingly Ranma did too. But it succeeded in getting Akane to break off that battle aura.

"Me? Marry that pervert?" Akane stated loudly.

"No way would I marry an uncute tomboy like Akane!" Ranma stated equally loud.

Rei just looked between the two and calmly asked, "Um, I just asked about dating, what were you two talking about?" Both teens suddenly got red and twiddled their fingers. It seemed that anything that didn't involve looking at each other was more interesting.

"Um, nothing. Forget about it." Ranma said hurriedly.

"Yeah, we need to get going anyways. Come on Rei." Akane said before going off with the other girls. Ranma hurried over to the guys. He glanced back with one last look. Rei didn't like it.

Standing alone Rei simply stared after them dumbly. "Ok, that was weird." She walked slowly after the girls.

* * *

"…you're kidding, right?" Rei looked over at Akane for confirmation, she shook her head sadly. Akane, Ranma, and Rei were sitting under a tree eating lunch. Rei had bought a boxed lunch since she hadn't had time to bag her own that morning. It remained mostly untouched as Ranma and Akane explained the confusion from earlier on the field.

It turned out that Ranma had a bit of a girl problem. This is like saying that Niagra Falls is a waterfall. He was engaged to at least three known girls, another girl simply claimed him, and more girls were showing up every now and then. Turns out that Ranma's father had bartered his son off during a ten year training trip. Rei still felt like they were holding some important details back, but decided not to pry…yet. Especially with Ranma still having that untrusting look in his eyes towards her.

_What's his problem, does he suspect me? _Rei wondered.

"So then, tell us about yourself Rei." Akane said, making note of Ranma piquing up at this and tried to hide her growl. Rei leaned back as she put her finger to her lips, very much a cute pose.

"Gee, I don't know, what would you like to know? She answered. "I guess I'm just a normal girl." She smiled.

Ranma's eyes narrowed_. _"So how long have you practiced martial arts?" Rei jumped at this.

He does suspect me. Great, time for some improv. Rei thought quick.

"Well my Granny taught me kempo from an early age. She pretty much was an expert with fighting, but taught me mostly how to use the environment to my advantage." Rei tried to downplay her past, giving only what was needed. "She also taught me to read and write Japanese, she didn't want me to forget my heritage. Guess that's why I've always wanted to come here!" Rei smiled but noticed that Ranma was continuing to look at her strangely. Akane then spoke up next.

"Where were your parents?" Rei, who was about to eat a piece of sushi, put down her chopsticks.

"To be honest, I don't know." She looked up at Akane, "My Granny never said that they were dead, alive, or anything. She would always avoid answering, so I gave up asking after awhile." Her voice was flat and sad. There was no acting or truth bending here.

"Oh I'm so-" Rei cut her off, looking off to the side at the other students.

"Sorry? Don't be, I think they are alive, I never could find an obituary. So either I got dumped on Granny or something else. Either way, they didn't put much effort into finding me so I gave up on them a long time ago." She looked back over at Akane, "They didn't want me as a kid, and I really doubt they would want me now." She looks at her food before packing it up, Rachel then picked up her stuff.

"I think I'm gonna take a look around, see you two later." She called out over her shoulder as she walked away.

"Poor girl." Akane said quietly after Rei was gone. Ranma looked down at his bento lunch.

"I don't trust her."

"Ranma!"

"Akane, did you notice anything strange with how that girl moves?" Akane was taken aback. Ranma wasn't usually this distrustful, but then again Ranma had been changing since…

"Ranma, what do you mean?" Ranma looked up at Akane, and then leaned back against the tree behind him.

"She don't walk like a normal girl, I'm not sure how, but she does. This morning when I caught her I saw something glint in her pants."

"So? What does that have to do with anything. Why were you-" Ranma cut her off.

"Akane, Rei is pretending to be a regular girl. Don't know what but she is hiding somthin from us."

"Ranma! Why are you accusing her?" Akane was starting to get mad. They had just meet the girl, why was Ranma so distrustful.

"Akane, her eyes…" He trailed off, undecided if he wanted to tell her. Akane was about to continue in a violent fashion when he looked at her. "'kane, never mind. I need ta go." With that he stood up and walked away, leaving Akane to sit alone under the tree.

"Ranma." She breathed softly after him. A question unspoken remained upon her lips.

* * *

_Great, you get close, and then you get scared away. Good going girl! _Rei silently berated herself. _Course I guess with the 'poor Rei' story I will get some brownie points, though Ranma definitely isn't buying._

She walked around the school campus, and she had to admit it was both impressive and large. From Furinkan High's multistory main building to the athletic fields it was probably better funded them most American schools. It was strange though that several areas looked recently repaired, and rather hastily at that. But any further thought on the campus was interrupted by a shout.

"Hey there, you are Rei Hibiki right? New transfer student?" A voice called out from the school entrance. Shaking off her thoughts she looked up to see a brown haired girl walking towards her.

"Yeah, who are you?" The girl stopped in front of her and bowed.

"Nabiki Tendo. I think you already meet my sister." Rei bowed back, but was weary; the girl wasn't a physical threat but her senses warned danger.

"Yeah she is rather nice, though her fiancée situation was is a little weird." Rei supplied. "Ya know, it seems though they were still hiding something from me. That and I've heard some, um, _interesting_ rumors about Saotome. Know anything?"

Nabiki chuckled, " I could tell you, though it might cost you." She held out her hand, "Ten thousand yen and you get the info; it's a juicy story after all."

Rei narrowed her eyes, "let me get this straight, you want me to pay you for info I could get far cheaper? As in free?"

Nabiki's eyes narrowed, and the cheerful smile lost it's friendliness as she crossed her arms. "You could, but it would be far more…difficult."

Rei's eyes narrowed as she picked up the subtext. She too wore a cheerless smile and crossed her arms. "Oh I don't know, I'm always up for a challenge."

Students began to pick up on the atmosphere and like any high school began to surround the two girls. The tension was becoming thick enough for a student to cut with a knife. Nabiki's entourage formed up behind her, and all were focused on the girl that would dare to challenge the Furinkan Ice Queen.

"You might find this challenge to be more then its worth. It could cost you much more to get this info in the end then you might think Hibiki."

"Really? Because I know plenty of ways to get around things others might not think of Tendo."

"I will enjoy seeing how well you do here Hibiki."

"I'm sure that I will surpass your expectations Tendo."

Both girls waked past each other without touching, the crowd parting as they passed. After Rei had walked into the building Nabiki turned to her followers.

"Find out what you can about her. Get me everything." With that she walked away. Rei Hibiki had issued a challenge to her, one that Nabiki would not only see but beat.

Nobody messes with the Ice Queen.


	3. Chapter 2

White looked to Black, a questioning tone in it's voice. "You play an interesting game my friend. Do you think it is wise to reveal your pieces so quickly?"

"It is no different then what you yourself have played in the past. At times you have based your entire game around one piece have you not?" Replied Black with a chuckle. "Besides, it is only a pawn, and pawns can always be replaced. But if they prove useful and survive long enough, then they can become queens."

White nodded at it's opponent. "I see. That is true enough I suppose. My turn was it not?" White moved, and the game continued.

* * *

His body froze in place as he ended his martial arts kata. Sweat glistened on his brow from hours of practice. Ranma held his leg where it had ended a sweep into the air to attack an imaginary opponent. It had been three hours after he had come home from his argument with Akane, he needed to think. Though he had gone to the dojo to practice his kata's, he couldn't get what Akane had said out of his mind.

_She's right. I don't normally get this distrustful. It ain't like she did nothin to me or Akane._ Abruptly he brought his leg back before shooting it three times at a mental target in a blink of an eye. Moving back into another kata his thoughts continued uninterrupted. _But the way she moves, its not natural. Like her body is resisting it somehow, but trained to do it anyhow. _

It was almost like the male ninja Konatsu, who had been raised to be a girl. Most men would never pick up on this, and it has led to his popularity working at the Ucchan's. The way he walked and moved being an almost perfect imitation of a natural woman's. Though if you knew what you were looking for, as Ranma now did, you could spot it. Rei's walk was similar, though not nearly as graceful as Konatsu's. It still would be hard to pick up on if you didn't look for it. Was that the reason Ranma was uneasy around her? Could Rei be another guy?

He made a jump kick that sliced the air as he covered the length of the dojo, as he landed he threw several punches within the span of a second. _That ain't it, not like we have a shortage of cross dressers here._ He thought back to when he caught her by the canal. _I swear that I saw something glint in her pants. But Akane of course didn't see it, and I can't figure out what it was._ He made a rolling dive that finished with a kick level with an opponent's stomach. _I guess it really is just her eyes._ Ranma stopped his kata and stood there breathing lightly, despite the impressive display he had been performing.

"They were just like Saffron's," he said quietly to himself. He was startled as the dojo's doors slid open suddenly, the Tendo's middle daughter, Nabiki, stood there with a smirk on her face.

"What was just like Saffron Ranma?" She smiled as she walked in looking at the fresh walls and wooden floors. It had taken Ranma only a few days to speed through the construction by himself. Even though Mr. Saotome, her father, Ryoga, and Mousee had all helped it had mainly been Ranma's effort to pull it off. She hated to admit it, and never had aloud, but she had been impressed.

"Nothing Nabiki, what did ya want?" Ranma said offhandedly. Nabiki frowned, since the failed wedding Ranma had grown more distant. Not to the point that everyone was overly worried, the fathers took it as a sign that he had wanted to get married and was merely disappointed. But he had been growing more distant. He was insulting Akane less, and trying to avoid the fiancées all together lately. The only thing he didn't do was hold back in his fights with Ryoga. While this might be good in some people's eyes it wasn't like Ranma, and Nabiki didn't want a change in the status quo. It could threaten her income.

But still, she wasn't here to ponder on Ranma. Nabiki grinned as she turned back to face Ranma. "I hear you spent a good chunk of today with that new exchange student. I was just wondering if you could tell me about her?" Ranma blinked and turned to Nabiki.

"Why do ya want to know?" He asked off handedly. Nabiki usually only went after money, and it was plain to see that Rei wasn't the affluent type.

Nabiki waved off the question, "Oh you know what I always say. Knowledge is power. Besides, I was curious. Nerima isn't known for being a hotspot for the American exchange program. Yet out of the blue here comes a new student. Suspicious if you ask me."

Ranma walked over to his towl along the wall. "I guess so, she is a little weird-" He was cut off with Nabiki suddenly appearing before his face.

"Oh, so you _did_ find out something! Tell you what, you tell me and I'll knock off five percent of your debt." Nabiki smiled up at Ranma, who couldn't figure out a reason not to take the deal. Shrugging his shoulders he repeated what Rei had revealed at lunch.

"Interesting, thanks Ranma." She started to walk away when she remembered another reason she had come out to the Dojo. "Oh, Kasumi wants you to take a book by the clinic if you could."

Ranma shrugged, "Sure, tell her I'll be inside in a few minutes."

* * *

"Ugh" Was the only sound the woman made as she sat up. Her hair was unbound and spilled around her face hiding it from view. She placed a hand on the mattress to steady herself and the other on her forehead.

"Are you ok Miss. Hunter?" Rachel opened her eyes and looked up through her hair at Dr. Tofu who sat beside her bed. She realized she was back in the clinical section that was beneath the doctor's apartment. She grunted and closed her eyes again.

"I feel hung over, seasick, carsick, and at least a dozen other 'sicks' all at once." She groaned and lay back down gently. The thunder of her pulse seemed to subside slightly to her relief. "What happened doc? All I remember is tugging on some energy and then pain." She pulled her hand from her forehead and noticed dark lines intermittingly broken traveling across her skin. "The hell? Doctor what's this on my skin?"

Tofu sighed and sat back in his chair. "Miss Hunter-" He was cut off by Rachel.

"Doctor, I understand the formalities of this country are slightly different then mine, but please call me Rachel, or Rach. Being called a 'Miss' in my country denotes a woman who is a little older then me." She smiled at the Doctor.

"As you wish, that won't be a problem. Rachel I looked over some texts while you were out. I think I know what is going on, but I need you to tell me what you know about a few things first." Tofu picked up a pad and paper off a nearby table.

"Um, ok. Ask away." Rachel returned.

"Ok, first, what do you know about the space station 'Guardian'?"

"Nothing, there isn't one." Tofu jotted down a few things and continued.

"Does the acronym 'ISO-PR' mean anything to you?"

"No nothing." Tofu again jotted a few things down.

"Finally, do you know anything about the PK drives that Japan has been developing with America?"

"Well PK could mean psychokinetic, but nobody in the scientific field has given it to much credit." Rachel looked over to the Doctor sitting in his chair. "Let me guess, all those things you asked me are extremely famous things that everyone should know no matter what. Am I right?"

Tofu sighed, "Yes Miss-, I mean Rachel. These things were world changing occurrences over the last few years. The Guardian is an international built space station of research and study. It was completed just two years ago. 'ISO-PR' stands for International Study of Paranormal Research. It is a growing field that has lead to the development of PK or psychokinetic drives, which basically allow thought to be turned into reality. Something only a few mystics across history could perform before."

Rachel's eyes widened in fear. "Dr. Tofu, nothing of that nature was even remotely in development. The closest would be the International Space Station, but it wasn't called Guardian. Heck it wasn't even completed yet. Not to mention that science hasn't even truly accepted Psycho-kinesis or anything of the 'fringe' sciences as a legitimate field of study."

"Yet I can tell you and show you articles that everything I said is true. This leads me to one of two conclusions. First is that you are suffering from some sort of delusion. However given how you came to be here along with what I saw in your aura and my apartment, I think I can safely discard that possibility."

Fear was in the woman's voice, "You aren't seriously about to suggest what I think you are, are you?"

"If you are thinking that I believe you might be from another world, then yes I am." Tofu managed to answer plainly and calmly. However Rachel's response wasn't so calm.

"WHAT?" She screamed, immediately reeling in pain as it lanced through her skull. She gasped a few times and managed to calm herself and her pain before she continued. "Ok, so you are thinking I come from another planet?"

"Oh no, I don't think that's the case." Tofu replied, "I just think you come from an alternate reality."

Rachel grimaced, "Right, because that would be so much better." She forced herself to sit up and pulled her hair back behind her shoulders. "How can you be so calm about this? Heck, how do you even know about this kind of stuff?"

"Miss Hunter, do you remember when I told you I had unusual clients?"

She blinked, "Yeah, your point is?"

"My clients are that unusual."

Rachel paused for a moment to let that sink in. "So what you are saying is that I came from another dimension, one that is similar yet not. How do you propose I get back?" She calmly replied. She had seen weird things before, and even if this was some sort of elaborate prank she figured it would be over with sooner if she went with it. Tofu sat back in his chair and pushed his glasses back up his nose.

He stood up and walked over to the window, looking out over to the setting sun. He wasn't sure how to explain the next part of what he was reading and discovering about his patient. "Rachel, that isn't all of it. As I looked over my texts I came across an interesting piece of information. It seems that your body will gradually produce more energy and you will become stronger. I suspect given your previous world that you might even be physically stronger then you were, you might even get sick less if at all." He paused, unsure how to continue.

Rachel looked over at the good doctor. She listened and instead of putting her at ease the words she was hearing made her more nervous. "However all that will come at some kind of price, won't it?" She wasn't stupid; the universe strived for balance, to gain meant to lose. It was as simple as an algebra equation.

Tofu turned and nodded, "Yes, as your body gains this energy it will become dependent on those levels. The world you came from obviously did not have anything near the levels of Ki here. So once you adapted to our world, you would at best die trying to return to your own, at worse you would live." He sighed as he saw the horrified look spread across his patient's face, "After what happened upstairs I examined your Aura again. The lines are from Ki lines in your body, the fact they are visible is like seeing filament in a light bulb glow. To much energy was being forced through your body and it burned you from the inside out."

Rachel looked down at her hands, idly tracing the lines with a finger. She had heard of this before. Another member in her group dealt with divination with rocks. To her rocks 'spoke' to her and told her where they needed to be. Rachel had gotten a large chunk of Amethyst from her friend once this way. But her friend told her of a friend who had picked up the wrong rock, and it had 'burned' him. Black lines had covered the man's hand for over a week, and no amount of scrubbing would get rid of them. Was that what was happening to her, or had happened to her? If so that meant she had a time limit, but the Doctor shook his head as she looked up at him with the question plain on her face.

"I don't know, your body already is producing a significant amount more then when I first examined you. But the overall amount is still far below what is normal for this world. Still I suspect you have at least a few months. After that I don't know. As for getting you home to begin with, that I might have an idea about. I will need to do more research to-" He cut himself off as the chime for the front door ringed. "Excuse me, I probably should see who that is. Please wait here."

He stood up and walked out the room's door. Rachel tried to stand up and managed to shakily do it. She could make out the muffled voices in the main area in the quite room.

"Here ya go Doc, Kasumi told me ta give this to you." Rachel couldn't quite place it, but the voice sounded familiar. It belonged to a younger man, maybe in his late teens. It was gruff and brash, and yet held notes of something else she couldn't identify. She made her way to the door.

"K-kasumi? Why Betty isn't that wonderful? Kasumi returned my book!" The creeping woman began to hear crashes behind the door. The young man was loudly trying to calm down the older man. The more she heard it, the more she became certain she had heard that voice before. Reaching the door she opened it and looked out to a scene of chaos, with a dawning realization she recognized it.

Dr. Tofu danced with a plastic anatomy skeleton, calling it Betty. Another much younger man was tying to calm the Doctor. He wore a red shirt and black silk pants that were both of Chinese make. That alone wouldn't have been much except the voice of the man, and the iconic pigtail. Any doubt was laid to rest as spying the man Tofu called him a certain name, one that Rachel knew very well from her world.

"R-ranma. It really is him. That means that Dr. Tofu is from the local clinic." Her knees gave out and Rachel collapsed back onto her butt. "I'm in an anime, I'm in Ranma one half." She sputtered. Having the strength to do nothing else she simply watched the scene play out. "Shit." Rachel muttered in English. It seemed an apt appraisal of the situation.

* * *

Reiko looked out from behind the tree. She was a second year student who had been tasked with a mission, one she dared not fail. Her target was wearing blue jeans and a black t-shirt, one Rei Hibiki. Reiko glanced for the hundredth time at her watch.

"Man, I'm supposed to be at cram school!" The girl quietly whined. But an order from her superior, or more the threat of the blackmail had Reiko out trailing the girl before her. Her orders were just to find out where the girl had been staying, but it didn't seem that the girl was in a hurry to get home. She had spent an hour after school in an arcade and another in an antique shop. Reiko glanced at her watch again, noting that only an half hour remained. If she wasn't there when her mom picked her up, then she most likely would spend the next couple months grounded.

She groaned when the girl ducked into yet another shop, walking quickly to the store front. It was a bakery, and Rei was standing at the counter talking to a black woman. Deciding this might be important she started for the door when Rei walked back out onto the pavement. Saying something in English real quick she started to walk away when she spotted Reiko standing on the sidewalk with a guilty look on her face. Turning quickly Reiko's target walked quickly away.

Walking after her and trying to not stand out Reiko managed to keep Rei in sight, but barely. After three quick turns she knew Rei was trying to ditch her, but fear of Nabiki managed to keep the girl within sight of her target. Suddenly she rounded a turn and couldn't find her prey. Spotting an alleyway she thought that Rei might have ducked down it to lose her. Running over she looked in trying to see Rei.

Two hands shoot out and grabbed Reiko's blouse, already off balance the owner of the hands managed to yank her into the allyway and slammed her back forcibly into the brick wall driving the breath from her. She looked down to see the stormy eyes of Rei Hibiki, on her face a snarl that contorted her face into a fearsome sight.

"Who the hell are you, and why the fuck are you following me?" Rei snarled out.

"R-reiko. I w-w-was," Rei brought her off the wall only to drive Reiko back into it harder. Reiko cried out in pain.

"Answer faster bitch! I haven't got all day!" Rei yelled into the girl's face.

"N-nabiki wanted me to follow you! She wanted to know where you live!" Reiko said as fast as she could. She might be afraid of Nabiki, but this girl was a lot closer and a more immediate problem. Rei's eyes widened before narrowing into slits and she leaned in closer, so close that the two girl's noses were almost touching.

"You didn't find me, you didn't see anything. You are going to tell Nabiki that, understood?" Rei stated it slowly and calmly, but her eyes challenged her captive to disagree. Reiko nodded so fast she almost gave herself whiplash.

"Good girl." Rei smiled, it wasn't a nice one. "In fact you are so good I'm going to keep you. You are going to spy on Nabiki for me, if she finds out anything about me or keeps investigating me then you will tell me. Understood?"

Reiko nodded, who wouldn't? But she looked at the girl and said, "How will I find you to tell you? I can't do it on school grounds or she will find out."

Rei stroked the girl's black hair, "Good point, shows you have brains. But don't worry about that, I will think of something and let you know. In the meantime I want you to do as you're told." Rei released the girl and stood back allowing her to remove herself from the wall. "Oh, and I don't know how Nabiki put you up to this, but if you betray me I'll gut you and leave your entrails on Nabiki's doorstep. Got it?" Reiko nodded and with a bow hurried out of the alleyway and the girl contained within.

She didn't look back until she was at the cram school, just in time to be picked up by her mother.

* * *

The two fathers looked out over the backyard of the Tendo compound, both Genma Saotome and Soun Tendo in quite contiplation. The Tendo father was a thin and well built man who had long black hair and sharp features on his face. His long mustache and brown Gi gave him an air of authority. The man seated next to him was of a heavier build, but not to the point it hid his obviously powerful muscles. He wore a white bandanna on his head and glasses on his face. Though his body was heavy his features were strangely unaffected. From his face you could tell he was the father of Ranma Saotome.

The larger man was the first to speak. "Tendo we need to get hose two together. Have you noticed that they fight less now? This could be the moment we have been waiting for."

"I agree Saotome." Tendo replied. "But how do you think we should do it?" The man cracked one eye to look at his companion.

Genma moved to hold his chin in thought. "We have tried so much. How about forcing them on a date?"

"We tried that Saotome…several times in fact." Soun replied tiredly, closing his eyes in frustration.

"True, but this is the best they have treated each other." Genma paused, "It might work this time. But old friend, if it doesn't maybe we should move on to another of your daughter's?"

Tendo sighed and opened his eyes to sadly look over his home. His gaze settling on the Koi pond just as a fish jumped into the air. "They love each other you know. We might just be pushing to hard."

Genma looked over at his friend, "True, but as the old saying goes, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder." He suddenly opened his eyes wide, "I got it Tendo! How about me _tell _them this is their last shot. Either they complete a date or we permanently disqualify them from marrying each other!" He excitedly explained.

Soun still looked skeptical, "You do realize Saotome that they will refuse a date on principle right? They have broken up before"

"That's the beauty my friend! They have broken up before, but we always let them get back together. If we draw up a contract and they sign it, it will show that we are serious."

"And if they call you bluff?" Tendo asked.

"Then we let them stew for awhile. They will be begging us before long to get married. It's a foolproof plan!" He stated triumphantly.

"You are right Saotome! It's time for Tendo-"

"-and Saotome-"

"Operation 'marriage or bust'!" They finished together. Immediately the two started to plot.

Upstairs a certain brown haired girl was removing her headphones. With yen signs dancing in her eyes she began to make plans of her own. She would let her father set out the details, and then she would make some calls. She was going to get rich off this one!

* * *

In a remote part of the Middle East a woman of Japanese decent stepped off of a jeep. The woman was dressed in a black tank top with a grey camo print pants. Over her black hair she wore a grey cap with a white star overlaid with a bow and sword. She had stopped in a nondescript village whose features were worn and drab. It was completely insignificant in almost everyway. With precision she pulled out a satellite phone and set it up. After a few turns of dials she began to speak into the mike.

"At destination and proceeding with pickup. Mission commenced. Proceed with phase two in twenty minutes." With that she put away the phone and walked into town. Picking a seemingly random house she simply kicked in the door. Striding purposefully into the single room she spoke nothing, and the occupants didn't either. There were three men and a woman who had been sitting around a table.

Immediately one tried to rush the woman bare handed. The thrown puch was easily avoided as the woman glided down, grabbing the arm in the process. With a quick and audible snap she stood up twirling the man around and dislocating his shoulder in the process.

It was done just in time for her hostage to become a meat shield, as the remaining members opened fire from cached guns they had recovered. The woman calmly waited for the guns to run out before kicking the corpse she held at the table. This caused it, and the body, to bowl over the two men. Turning to the other woman the attacker took out a long stick with a long curved blade. A kama. As the woman before her fumbled with her guns, two pistols, the attacker glided forward smoothly. The woman managed to bring up her guns only in time for the attacker to bring her Kama down across the woman's wrists.

Leaving the woman writhing on the ground screaming as she bled out of her stumps, the attacker turned on the last two men. One was pinned under both the table and corpse, while the other was stumbling to his feet. He brought his gun to bear as the attacker threw her Kama, it sliced through the air into the man's head killing him instantly.

Retrieving her Kama she stood over the last man. He began to speak in Arabic, begging for his life and for mercy. The woman who stood over him merely tilted her head, with a flash of light the man's head rolled away from his shoulders. Standing she walked over to where the table had stood, revealed now was a trapdoor. Opening it she pulled out a grenade from her pants. Pulling the pin the woman threw it straight down the long shaft. Seconds later it exploded, bringing with it short screams. She then proceeded to climb down the shaft, grabbing the steel handles imbedded into the granite wall.

At eh bottom she stepped over the shredded corpses of the defenders. Striding with purpose to a simple wooden door she again kicked it in. Behind the door sat a man in the lotus position. He sat before a magnificent red stone that was easily the size of a small child. Surrounded by the flickering flames of candles he gazed sadly at the woman who had killed many in only a few short moments.

"You have come for it I suppose?" He spoke gently in Arabic. Though his voice was young, it carried the tones of a very old man who had seen far to much in his time.

The woman's response was cool, and though beautiful it to carried tones of age. But unlike the man it was the voice of someone who had started to kill years ago and found that they enjoyed it ever since. "Of course, will you surrender it peacefully? I might even let you live, like that man upstairs wanted to so badly."

"He was a child, and like all the children you have killed today will be avenged." He stood up, picking up an ancient scimitar that had lain beside him. The candles flickered as if in a stiff breeze even thought the air was still.

"Ah, the noble death scene. Tell me, ancient one, why you will be so special to defeat me?" The man's eyes narrowed and began to glow a fiery red. Suddenly the blade in his hands ignited in a mass of bloody red flames. With a quick rush he brought down the blade on his attacker. The attacker brought up her Kama, and a second one she had to join it. "Nice trick." She stated and effortlessly threw the man across the room. The man quickly discarded his flaming shirt after he had landed on some candles. Standing up he was suddenly before the woman. With a smile she grabbed his bare chest, piercing the skin with her thin fingers.

"Now here is a trick of my own." The man felt a sudden pain in his chest, and tendrils of energy began to snake across the man's body into the woman's hand and arm. "Oh, this always feels so orgasmatic!" She cried with her head thrown back. The man threw his head back as well, but it was in a silent scream. In seconds the energy had stopped and she released the now dead man. Licking the blood off her fingers she moved to stand before the stone. "Now to be done with it."

The woman drove away from the village. The stone in the back wrapped in cloth and tied down. As she drove she reached up and adjusted the rear view mirror. She smirked as she heard the scream of a missile overhead. IT swept past her and struck the village, in an instant it was gone. Either the blast had killed almost everything, or the flames finished the rest. "One down, four more to go!" She cried triumphantly as her jeep drove away from the broken lives she had left in her wake.

In the back, beneath the cover, the stone flared an angry red.


	4. Chapter 3

Rachel was alone. She could see nothing but grey mist rolling around her as she stood on a cold white slab of marble. How far it extended was impossible to determine, and despite her best efforts she could not move from her spot. She continued to struggle until she heard voices.

"The game is proceeding to a nice start. We each hold one of five, so nice to be in a tie already is it not?" Rachel searched for the voice it seemed to come from everywhere at once, even her own mouth. The voice that answered was no easier to locate.

"It is, though I have to say I am disappointed so far, I was expecting you to play a more chaotic game. Your methods have seemed to predictable so far." Rachel renewed her efforts to free herself. Her blood froze at what she heard next.

"Ah, it seems a pawn has awoken on the playing field. It seems she wants to get into the action doesn't it?" A cruel sounding chuckle seemed to surround her and press into her. "It is time she got into the game anyways."

Rachel looked around her, the voices had to be close if they could see her. But her panicked searching revealed nothing but more mist. Then something made her look up, only to see a giant gloved hand reaching for her.

She screamed.

* * *

Gasping Rachel sat up in her bed, panting as the dream faded back into the murky depths of her subconscious. But the adrenaline coursing through her body was making it tremble. Panicked eyes searched the unfamiliar room for danger or the hand before she remembered the events of yesterday, and where she was.

Taking a few calming breaths she forced her body to be still. Placing a hand over her face she groaned, "Man…As if yesterday wasn't bad enough, now I'm getting weird dreams again!" Sighing she flopped back down onto the pillow. Reviewing the events since yesterday's unpleasant series of surprises she didn't know what to feel. She had retreated back to her examination bed after observing the scene between Ranma and Dr. Tofu. It had been a while later that Dr. Tofu returned to the room. He then suggested that she stay at the clinic for the time being so he could observe her and work on getting her back home. Rachel having no other option agreed. After being shown to the guest room he had upstairs, she had laid down on and had promptly dozed off when he left her.

It was a small room she noticed, and held a bed, dresser, and small desk. It also had a curtained window that looked over the back lot of the clinic. Pulling herself up and looking out the window she discovered something nice, she could observe the sunrise from here. She also noticed that the sun seemed to be just peeking over the horizon at the moment. With a smile she knew she could do something to temporally take her mind off her situation.

Getting dressed she slipped down the stairs and out the back door. Standing in the slight morning chill she faced in the direction of the sun, spreading her arms wide and let the light and warmth gently caress her. Quietly she closed her eyes and intoned thanks to the Skyfather, feeling the warmth seemingly to surge within her as she did so. It surrounded her and seemed to give her the feeling of being submerged in warm water. She always loved this feeling, and tried to do this little ritual every morning. It always seemed to calm her no matter the troubles she would face in the day ahead. So enraptured was she that she did not feel the presence of her observer until a moment later. His polite cough gently came to her as he politely announced himself.

"Enjoying the morning are we?" Startled Rachel turned her head and opened her eyes, in the doorway with a smile stood Dr. Tofu. He adjusted his glasses as he smiled at her. "I was going to do a few katas, so if you would like you could use the wash room upstairs Miss-, I mean Rachel."

Rachel smiled at the slip, at least he tried. "Thank you Doctor, I think I will." With a bright smile she walked past him back into the clinic. Leaving the doctor to his practice. Making her way back up the stairs and down a short hallway she entered the bathroom. It took her a few seconds to remember the fact that this was a Japanese bathroom, and why everything looked a little different. Instead of a shower-tub combo that was standard in American bathrooms, there was what seemed a giant tub and a reasonably open center area with a drain. A short shower head was attached to the wall over a faucet, next to which sat a stool and bucket.

"Glad I watched way to much anime growing up, otherwise I wouldn't know jack about how this all worked." Rachel mumbled as she pulled out the stool. In Japan, if families could afford it they had what was called a Furo, basically a hot tub in the bathroom. But since it would cost to much to constantly refill it every day, they would refill it every few days. To make the water last longer people would wash themselves prior to getting in, thus they could enjoy a soak, and the water stays cleaner and more sanitary then it would otherwise. After a good scrub and rinse Rachel lowered herself into the furo, gasping in delight as the warm waters covered her. It almost was as good as her morning ritual.

Leaning back she began to organize her thoughts. _Ok, fact one is that I am currently in the Ranma one half universe._ She frowned, when she thought about that it didn't really say much. She could be anywhere in the original story since at least Ranma's arrival at the Tendo Dojo. If she was in the original story, then that could be bad because she could muck with how things were supposed to go. But there was no guarantee that she was a part of that world.. She only had seen him for a few minutes, and that didn't tell her much either. Ranma was a _very _popular series and had years of fan fiction, lemons, crossovers, and even alternate universes written by fans for it. For all she knew she was in the alternate universe where Ranma had been born a girl and cursed to change into a guy. She would have to find out more to have a better idea of where she was. Especially if she were trapped in a lemon 'verse.

Grimacing she quickly moved on before she could pursue that thought. _Fact two, I seem to have a time limit to getting back._ She thought about it and didn't seem to draw anything more. She supposed that the more she used her power the less time she would have. Frowning Rachel suddenly started to wonder just what kind of power she might actually have, but decided to move on for the time being. One thing at a time like she was always told.

_Right. Fact three, I am in a different country with no papers or credentials. I also don't have any cash. _For the time being Tofu had said she could stay at the clinic, but she did not want to freeload. She tried to think of various options. She could ask Nabiki Tendo if she had any connections. But that would require money she didn't have, and it was assuming that this Nabiki would be a mercenary like she was in the Original Story. She could petition the embassy to replace documents, but they would have no record of her coming to Japan. Besides, again there was the assumption she even existed in this world. She didn't know exactly how that could end, but it wouldn't be good.

Sighing again she leaned her head back and stared at the ceiling. _So basically for all I know, I still know nothing. I apparently am getting powers on virtue that my body was tuned to my world not this one. I also was injured when or as I was brought here, which means that someone pulled me here, or I just stumbled on a cross -dimensional hiccup. _She frowned and sat up in the furo_. Top it off with the problem of identity and what does that leave me?_

She raised her hands from the water and stared at them watching as the water trickled off of them. _Dr. Tofu said my Ki was off. Now it's my timer for getting home again_. Rachel closed her eyes and leaned her head back in the furo. _I don't want power, I don't want the responsibility. _

With a snort she opened her eyes and looked back at her hands. _Then again, since when has the universe bothered to ask what I might want? _She smiled sadly. _Can't deny what is there no matter how hard you try, already learned that lesson the hard way once. So let's find out what there is to find out. _Sitting up straight she decided to start with the basics, find out what she was dealing with. Closing her eyes she brought her hands close together and gently rubbed them together. Then spreading her hands wide began to slowly bring them together. It almost looked like Rachel was beginning to pray.

As she brought her hands together at a point she felt a slight resistance. It wasn't much, but it felt similar to having two magnets and having them repulse each other. She then tried to visualize and Will the energy to cycle through her hands. Usually when she did this exercise she felt a tingling in her palms as the energy zipped back and forth between her hands. Nothing major, at best it felt like a feather tickling her palms.

But this was stronger, _much_ stronger. As she felt the energy it seemed more viscous, more malleable. It was like trying to shape water all this time and then given clay. She tried to concentrate on a single point to see what it would do, moving the energy from both hands into that point. Suddenly behind her eyelids she became aware of a bright light pulsing in time with her heartbeat, slowly growing in intensity. She tried to ignore it but it became bright enough that she was becoming distracted. Opening her eyes she saw something she would never have said was possible.

Between her palms pulsed a small bight ball of purple light no bigger then your average marble, it seemed to glow internally and what parts of its surface she could make out seemed to flow like water. With a yell she flung it away from herself. It accelerated as if she had thrown a fastball and slammed into the wall across from her, leaving a slight scorch mark. Immediately Rachel stumbled in the furo as she suddenly felt incredibly drained, as if she had just run a few miles from a dead start. Woozily she stood up, water dripping from her naked flesh as she heard the door burst open.

"Miss Hunter! Are you alright?" The Doctor yelled as he rushed into the room, his gi was soaked with the sweat of his practice. Seeing the woman visibly swaying before him Tofu ran to her. Grabbing Rachel by her slender shoulders, he steadied her. "What happened? What's wrong?" His tone was forceful, and he searched her body for wounds. She felt embarrassed at his scrutiny of her nude body, but knew the examination was that of a doctor while caring for a patient.

But at his questions Rachel could only seem to blush and look down, "I'm fine Dr. Tofu, but can I get a towel at least before I start answering questions?" Silence suddenly came down on the bathroom, and only the dripping water from Rachel's hair could be heard. Tofu suddenly realized his proximity to the naked woman, and that he was currently gripping her naked body and visibly looking over her body intently for wounds.

Retracting his hands as if they were grabbing white hot coals he turned his back to the woman and reached out to grab a towel. Blushing he passed it behind him to the woman. "S-sorry about that. But when I felt something and then heard you yell…" He trailed off. Suddenly noticing the scorch mark on the wall.

Rachel quickly wrapped the towel around her. _Why am I blushing?_ She wondered. _This isn't the first time someone has seen me naked. Heck, I've been checked out much more vulgarly at the school! _Suddenly a thought flashed through her head and she violently shook her head. _Ah no! No way in hell is _that _the reason! I am not going be here long for _that _to even be a _remote_ reason! _

Stepping out of the furo she tapped Dr. Tofu on the shoulder to let him know it was safe to turn around. As he did so she piped up before he could. "It's ok Dr. Tofu, I know that sometimes concern for a patient overrides everything else. Mom did that a lot too." She gave him a smile, but it faded at the shocked look in Dr. Tofu's eyes. "Dr. Tofu?"

Standing up straight Dr. Tofu suddenly turned and walked out the door, never looking back at the woman. "Sorry to have bothered you Miss Hunter. I will be in my office looking over tomes if you need me." With his curt reply over his shoulder Tofu had walked out of the bathroom.

Shaking her head Rachel started to dry herself off. "Weirder and weirder." She mumbled and rolled her eyes. "Do I dare ask what's next?" Her eyes drifted to the scorch mark on the wall. "Right then. Dr. Tofu please wait!" She called out, dressing herself and rushing out the room in record time.

* * *

Ranma sat at his desk, his eyes staring out the window at the blue sky and focusing on nothing. He thought about how this morning for the first time in a long time his father had not woken him up with sparring. "Don't want you to be late to school son!" He had said loudly with a laugh. It then got weirder as he got to the breakfast table. Mr. Tendo had been odd as well. Neglecting to read the morning paper he always had. Ranma recalled feeling something was going to happen today, an instinct feeling. Ranma could tell Akane had felt it too, as she had shifted uncomfortably next to Ranma.

Ranma recalled the head of the Tendo Clan looking up. His face though usually warm was unusually stern that morning. "Ranma, Akane, there will be a family meeting tonight. Make sure you are here by dinner, do not miss it." With that puzzling statement Soun had closed his eyes again, only stirring to eat the breakfast Kasumi had laid out.

Suddenly an object bonked him on the head, bringing Ranma out of his reverie. Turning forward he faced the childlike visage of Hinako Ninomiya, one of his teachers. Currently in her child form, Hinako possessed the ability to gather Ki from those around her to revert to her true form and age. Doing so however left the victim of this ability severely drained and unable to move. Perfect for a diplomacy like Hinako. Ranma had been on the receiving end of this attack more then once, him being the reason Ninomiya was brought in.

"Mr. Saotome, please pay attention to the lesson!" Her cute voice rang out. Ranma sat a little straighter to appease the apparent prepubescent instructor.

"Yes Ma'am." Gradually however he drifted back to the window. It wasn't until the bell that he payed attention to the world around him again. Blinking a few times he started to reach for his bento box, when he heard the words he had learned to dread.

"Ranma! I made you lunch today." Came Akane's voice from across the room. Ranma paled. Granted, Akane had improved her cooking quite a bit. She could even make curry that was more or less edible most of the time. But she didn't always try to make curry, and when she did things could get painful for him. This was usually from him refusing to eat what she called 'food'.

"Wow, she even cooks you food. You guys really are fiancées aren't ya?" Came a cheerful alto next to Ranma. Whirling around Ranma faced the smiling Rei leaning against the window and giving him a victory sign.

"Hibiki? When did you get here?" Akane asked as she walked up, holding a crudely wrapped bento before her. Rei chuckled a bit before answering.

"I got here…when I got here?" She supplied.

"What kinda answer is that?!" Asked Ranma. He didn't like the fact that Rei had managed to sneak up on him, he would keep a closer eye out for the American in the future. For some strange reason he felt unnerved by her presence, and would rather she not be there at all. "What do ya want Hibiki?" It wasn't hostile, but it wasn't friendly.

Rei frowned a cute pout. "Well, I'm new here and a little shy. Since I knew you two and our classes have the same lunch break, I was simply hoping to have lunch together." She grinned, the pout disappearing as quickly as it had come. "Besides, I'm curious about Akane's cooking!" She said cheerfully with a clap of her hands.

Ranma was about to protest when the light bulb went off over his head. He might have a way to get rid of Rei _and _get out of Akane's cooking. Turning to Akane he smiled brightly. "Hey 'Kane I'm, uh, I got to go talk to Miss. Ninomiya real quick. Why don't you give Rei a taste of your cooking?" Like a bolt Ranma vacated his chair, leaving the two girls blinking at his after image.

Akane was the first to recover, "R-Ranma! Oh! I spent all morning making this for you!" She growled at the door where Ranma had left.

"Wow, he moved fast." Rei supplied dumbly. _Why the rush to get out of here I wonder?_

Akane almost stormed out to find her wayward fiancee when his suggestion clicked in her brain. Turning to Rei she suddenly presented the bento to her. "Well since Ranma left, would you like to have his lunch Rei? I don't want it to go to waste."

"Sure! I never turn down free food." Taking Ranma's seat Rei smiled as she opened the bento. The smile became strained as the girl was presented a substance she didn't quite know how to classify. It was green, having white speckles she guessed was the rice. Meaty lumps floated in the green…whatever, and something red was splashed all over the top. "Akane? What is this?" Rei asked calmly.

"Teriyaki chicken." Akane cheerfully replied.

Hesitantly Rei picked up the chopsticks provided her and gently prodded the food before her. She half expected it to prod back. "Of course it is." Rei said with a forced smile, purposefully she snagged a meaty chunk and put it in her mouth.

It was only reflex that caused her to swallow, something her body rebelled against immediately. With one hand to her mouth and the other stretched before her to push anything in her way aside, Rei dashed for the nearest bathroom. Akane blinked a few times, "I wonder if I used to much horse radish again?" She wondered aloud.

A few minutes later Rei staggered back into the classroom. Her hair was slightly unkept now and she seemed to be breathing a little on the heavy side. Going up to Akane she placed one hand on her shoulder before looking up at her.

"Akane? Did I do something to piss you off?" She asked seriously.

"N-no. Rei what's wrong?" Akane asked hesitantly.

"What's wrong?! Akane you just tried to poisin me!" Rei yelled.

"Well if you don't like the taste just say so! No need to be so rude about it." Akane said with a humph. Rei's left eye started to twitch suddenly. Standing strait up she looked the slightly shorter girl in the eye.

"That so? Ok then Akane, say 'Ah'." Akane missed the dark undertone.

"Wha-?" The puzzled girl started to ask. She was cut off by Rei snatching the chopsticks laying on the bento and a piece of 'meat' to place in her mouth. Akane immediately started to turn green before imitating the way Rei had run to the bathroom only moments before.

"Maybe that will teach her to taste her own cooking before she serves something looking like that again!" Rei muttered before looking around the classroom. She spotted her true target for coming to this classroom. She had been delighted to find out that she shared a classroom with Ranma and Akane. Sneaking up Rei suddenly pounced, clasping her hands over the eyes of the raven haired girl before her. "Guess who Reiko?" She said brightly.

With a shriek and her long hair trailing behind her the shorter girl was out of her seat in a flash. Her eyes wide eyed towards the girl who had attacked her the day before. The girl's friends who she had been talking to glanced between the two with curiosity.

Rei simply pretended to be concerned with the fright she had put into Reiko. "Oh geez I'm sorry Reiko. I didn't mean to scare you so much." She walked over to the trembling girl and gently rested a hand on her shoulder. Suddenly she tightened her grip, not enough to hurt or look threatening to the seated girls but enough to get Reiko's attention. As she looked over Rei's face flashed a look to dare her to act up. The others missed it but Reiko did not.

"Hey Reiko," spoke up one girl, "What's up? You know her?" Rei looked down at the brown haired girl.

"Oh, sorry, I'm Rei. I just got here from America a few days ago." Rei said happily as she bowed to the group of girls. Standing up she gestured to Reiko, sho had stopped trembling but continued to seem nervous around Rei. "We meet at a bakery last night and she agreed to help me catch up on some stuff we never covered in America." She turned to face Reiko. "_Right_ Rei?" She asked with a slight emphasis.

Acting startled Rei responded quickly, "O-oh right. Um, where did you want to meet up again?" She said meekly. She knew she was doing a horrible acting job, but she usually was very quite to begin with. Reiko hoped that the other girls wouldn't care enough in the end to notice the difference.

Rei reached into a pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper. Handing it to Reiko she continued. "Oh, I was hoping you could come by my apartment later. I hope you can read that, I'm afraid my Kanji isn't so great." She said with a blush. Reiko was amazed at the other girl's acting ability. It was almost making her doubt last night had happened at all.

Unfolding the paper left her with another surprise. Rei's Kanji was perfect, almost as if she had grown up writing it. She quickly read the note before putting it in her school blouse pocket. "No I can read it, should I come by after school?"

"If it isn't to much trouble I'd appreciate it." Rei said with a bow. Reiko had to again remind herself of the previous night's encounter.

"No, it will be fine. I will see you then." Reiko replied.

"'k then, see you later Reiko!" Rei said with a smile and walked away waving. Reiko took her seat again and went back to eating, trying to enjoy her mother's cooking. She was interrupted by the same friend from earlier.

"Nabiki will want to see that you know. You probably should take it to her now."

Raiko looked over at Miya. Miya was tall for a Japanese high school girl and strong to boot, this earned her a special spot on Nabiki's enforcer squad. It was also plain unlucky for Reiko that she happened to share a class with her, as Miya insisted they share lunch together every day. Especially since Reiko was one of Nabiki's spies. She suspected that Miya's interest in her came from a higher source then her own reasons.

Reiko sighed, packed her leftovers and stood up. "You are right Miya, I'll go see her now." Miya nodded and went back to eating. Reiko walked out the door slowly, cursing being made a pawn by two dangerous women.

* * *

It was later that afternoon that Ranma and Akane returned home. They both noticed that the house seemed still, almost deathly so. Kasumi greeted them at the door. "Oh my, there you two are. Ranma, your mother is here and I think that Father and the Saotomes are waiting to speak to with both of you."

Akane looked up at the boy beside her, "Ranma, do you have any idea what this is about?"

Ranma simply shook his head and followed Kasumi leaving Akane to bring up the rear. The older sister lead the pair to the family room, where the three elders sat at one side of the table together, with Soun on the left, Genma on the right, and Nodoka

In the middle . Kasumi gestured to two seats on the other side before heading to the kitchen. "I'll just make up some tea while you talk." Ranma and Akane took their seats and looked across the table at their parents, all of whom had their eyes closed.

Soun coughed into his hand, "Thank you Kasumi, that would be nice." The five of them sat like that for a full minute before Soun finally opened his eyes to look at the two. "Son, Akane, do you care for each other?" Soun had a uncharacteristically serious expression on his face.

Immediately the two teens began their tired routine of denying any affection towards each other. Shouts of "me marry that pervert?" and "Who'd want to marry an uncut chick like you?" filled the room. The parents just sat their, Genma's and Nodoka's gazes added to Soun's. Eventually the teens caught on to their parents behavior and settled down. Again the group sat in silence for over a minute.

"Are you quite finished yet?" This came from Nodoka, speaking calmly and formally as always. However there was an edge preasent in her speech that wasn't usually there. Namely the katana she always wore that was unwrapped and placed on the table before her. "We were not asking if you wished to be married," she continued, "We were asking if you two cared for each other."

The two teens couldn't answer. Their voices suddenly lost and their gazes refused to settle on anything, especially each other or their parents. It was now Genma's turn to speak, "Boy, we know you care for Akane. You even killed a God to save her not less then two months ago. Why can't you admit it?" His tone was gruff and direct, and Ranma for the first time in many years could not meet his father's gaze.

Nodoka took out a piece of paper and with a sigh placed it on the table. "Ranma, you and Akane have been engaged for over two years now. Next year you graduate and it was our hope that by then you would be taking over the dojo and married." Sliding the paper forward she continued, "Thus it is our decision that unless you two confess to your feelings right now, you will have one final chance to prove you are worth being together before…before we switch your engagement to one of the other Tendo daughters." The Saotome patriarch finished.

The teens looked at her in shock. The piece of paper being slid towards them was clearly a contract, and from where this conversation was taking them even Ranma had an idea of what it was for. Nodoka pressed on, "This is an official legal contract, that in two days you will go on a date. The contract states that unless you two come home, _together_, then your engagement will be voided permanently. This means that you two will never be allowed to be engaged even if you desire it in the future. Do you understand?" A flash of concern came across the two father's faces before being hidden again.

Akane had had enough, "B-but why are you doing this? This isn't fair how you are putting us on the spot like this!"

"Because what you two seem to forget and thus take lightly is that this is a matter of family honor." Came Nodoka's curt reply. Ranma visibly winced at his mother's remark. "We had given you two time as we hoped you would proclaim your love on your own, this apparently will not happen any time soon and thus we are all here today. We choose Saturday because it will not be a school night and shouldn't interrupt your studies. You will go out on Saturday, but what you do after that will decide the fate of your relationship, remember that." The two teens simply sat in a mix of shock, anger, and curiously a hint of fear.

Numbly they signed the contract before being sent to their rooms to work on their studies. Genma and Soun turned to the woman between them. "Nodoka, " started Soun, "We never said anything about an official contract. That was quite clever of you." Soun said with a smile.

"Clever?" Was her calm and very quite reply.

"W-why yes dear, so that if they failed then they could still come to us and beg to be married eventually." Genma nervously supplied. Both fathers suddenly had the gut feeling that they had made a very big tactical mistake by having the Saotome mother present for their scheme.

"They will do no such thing because we will hold them to the contract. If my son is truly manly then he will find a way to finish this test successfully." Nodoka said simply. Both fathers blanched at the full realization of their mistake.

Upstairs a certain sister was also very pale. She had one rule that she tired to keep in her own twisted way. Never hurt her family. As she looked at the pile of yen on her desk, she had to wonder if she had just inadvertently done so.

* * *

Nerima was, for the most part, a poorer ward of Tokyo. That wasn't to say it was the slums, but it did attract poorer families such as newly wed couples. It also attracted a few gangs. Most gangs learned to work under the radar, as ever since the Nerima Wrecking Crew known as Ranma and his life arrived the number of powerful martial artists in the area had risen dramatically. This made for poor business if you relied on intimidation and robbery to make a living.

Unfortunately those martial artists couldn't be everywhere, and weren't actively trying to cut down on the crime. This meant that there _was _still crime, and there were still gang infested areas. Reiko wished that Rei had chosen a nicer place to live about the time as one of said gangs took notice to her.

"Hey there sweet thing, how about you come over here so we can have a little party." Reiko tried to ignore them, she was only a few blocks from Rei's apartment building. She instinctively knew she would be relatively safe if she got there and started to increase her pace. The gang took interest and like a stalking predator they began to follow her, all the while spewing vulgar suggestions.

Finally the apparent leader grew bored and rushed Reiko, grabbing her arm and dragging her back to be surrounded by the group. What few people that were on the streets quickly cleared it, not wanting to get involved. Reiko dismayed to catch a glimpse of a sign, she was just across the street, from Rei's apartment, if only she could…

A fist to her stomach brought her back to her situation, gasping she collapsed to her knees, her uniform getting dirty. She almost laughed as she found herself worrying about her uniform at a time like this. The leader grabbed her hair and yanked it back. He was handsome, and if it weren't for the sneer on his face and the situation she was in she might have found him attractive. Now all she could do was listen to him.

"Good, nice to see I got your attention bitch. What? Thought you were to good to hang out with gentlemen like us?" He laughed as his gang jeered at her. Tears began to well up in her eyes as she felt the hopelessness of her situation. She was totally at their mercy. Her mind had begun to play the various scenarios and fears of what they were going to do to her when she heard a familiar voice call out.

"Hey Ogata! What did I tell you if I saw you sliming up my front door step again? This time I gonna cut you where others can see it!" The leader's face paled at the voice.

Reiko took the opportunity, "Rei! Help!" She screamed out, she couldn't see her but Reiko knew Rei was there.

"That you Reiko? Guess I need to make sure this scum realize that you have a VIP pass from now on." She heard knuckles cracking and a rush of footsteps. Immediately the guy on her right was yanked away, Rei stood there in black cargo pants, navy blue t-shirt, and a seriously pissed off look on her face.

Rei placed three jabs to the man's kidneys before kicking him away. Turning she grabbed another man's arm as he tried to punch her and flipped him onto the man she had just kicked away from her. As she fought Reiko compared her to the other martial artists that were in the area. She would say at best Rei was at Akane's level, but only in capability to take on multiple foes. Rei didn't have the speed of Ranma or the toughness of Ryoga, nor did she have the grace of a martial artist. Reiko winced as Rei took a punch across the face, Rei simply wiped the blood off her lip before charging back into the fray.

Reiko sat there amazed. No, Rei wasn't anywhere near Ranma's level. But she had an animalistic grace and a ferocity in combat that the others didn't. Ranma wouldn't take cheap shots, or kick a guy when he was down, but Rei did and more. Where other martial artists struck to disable, Rei struck to put down.

Finally it was just Rei and the leader left standing. The other gang members lay on the ground, groaning if they were conscious and still if they weren't. Ogata reached behind him and brought out a Tanto. "S-s-stay back! I'll cut you if you get any closer."

Rei simply tilted her head, "Oh you must be joking. Drop the knife Ogata, I promise not to cut off anything…vital if you do." She said with a velvet purr in her voice. Rei shuddered in fear, so did Ogata.

"I said stay back, stay-" He was cut off as Rei's arm blurred. Pain laced across his face and he felt a wetness start to run down his cheek. Reaching up he felt a warm wetness and bringing his hand into view revealed it was covered in red. Blood, his blood. Reiko finally scooted away as the leader lost bladder control. The throwing knife clattered to the ground behind him.

"Your move Ogata, next one goes into your eye. I would _strongly _recommend running away now like a simpering little girl." The leader of the gang proceeded to do that, dropping the knife as if it where white hot and running for the hills like his life depended on it. It probably did. Rei simply scoffed and walked over to pick up her throwing knife. Wiping it on a nearby thug's shirt she placed it back in its holster at the small of her back. Turning to face Reiko she walked over and offered a hand. "You ok there Reiko?"

Nodding Reiko took the offered hand and stood up, feeling a sudden surge of relief at her rescue she burst into tears and began hugging Rei tightly. Rei simply blushed at the girl and petted her hair while holding her. Glaring at any man on the ground around them who dared groan to loudly.

* * *

A half hour later had Reiko in a bathrobe sitting across the table from Rei. After Reiko had calmed down Rei had brought her to her apartment. Telling the girl to strip and shower Rei had proceeded to place the soiled school uniform in the wash. Then she had waited patiently for Reiko to finish before giving the girl a bathrobe and seating her at the table.

Reiko twitched nervously, the girl before her fast becoming an enigma. Between the intimidating demoness from the day before, the playful friend at lunch, and the fierce defender from just a while ago she did not know which face was truly Rei's. Reiko studied the face of Rei, who in turn seemed to be studying her face. Reiko tried a few times to open her mouth to say or ask something, but each time her voice caught and she could say nothing.

Rei suddenly smiled, it wasn't the cheerful smile or viscous smile from before. It was a simple smile of amusement that shocked Reiko for some unknown reason. "You want to know why I stuck my neck out for you, don't you?" Rei asked simply. This startled Rei into finally answering."

"Y-yes. I'm grateful but you…um…" Reiko couldn't finish the sentence, causing Rei to smile even more.

"You weren't expecting me to help out someone I supposedly thought was disposable?"

"Y-yes." Reiko blushed and looked down, for some reason she felt ashamed.

"Don't feel bad Reiko, Nabiki doesn't strike me as one who really cares about her followers. If she did, she would have gotten more info on me before having you tail me off school grounds." Rei stood up and moved to the fridge, "Care for a drink?" Rei asked in a friendly tone.

"Why?" Reiko suddenly said. "Why are you being so nice all of the sudden?" Reiko burst out. Rei ignored her before grabbing a carton of orange juice and two glasses and brought them over to the table. Calmly she pored out two glasses before pushing one in front of Reiko.

Rei took a sip before putting on that same amused grin. Resting her head on the back of her laft hand she stared back at Reiko. "It may seem strange to you, but when I adopted you, well I adopted you. In America I ran an organization similar to Nabiki's. But instead of blackmailing anyone I just gave them respect, and they respected me back. Same situation here. I plan to usurp Nabiki's control, and I'm going to need followers, not blackmailed lackeys like Nabiki has."

Reiko was simply confused, "Why are you telling me this? I don't understand."

Rei sighed before refilling her glass, "Reiko, I already told you that if you betrayed me then you would regret it. Therefore if you choose to risk that by telling Nabiki all of this it won't change the outcome. But if you work with me I will give you the respect you would never get under Nabiki and you would be an equal in my organization at the school. Yes there will always have to be a leader, but it is in how that leader acts that reflects the quality of their followers. Nabiki relies on blackmail, I rely on my people's desire to help me."

Reiko was in shock. Especially at how the girl before her was revealing so much. Nabiki kept saying that knowledge was power, if that is true then Rei had just given a large chunk of it to her. Nabiki never would have done this, or if she did reveal anything it was under threat of blackmail. Granted Rei's threat on her life wasn't any better, but she had protected her, explained things to her, and was extending her hand in partnership to her. All of it taking Reiko by surprise. She looked down at the glass before her, untouched until now. Holding the glass gently she began to drink. Maybe working under Rei wouldn't be so bad, it simply had to be better then working under Nabiki. Rei simply smiled more at her guest's sign of acceptance.

"So then, how about being friend's for real Reiko?" Rei smiled, "And maybe helping me take Nabiki down a peg or two?" Reiko shook her head.

"First tell me this, back at lunch you were definitely relying on threats, and you can fight much better then your average brawler. Why should I trust you now?"

Rei didn't skip a beat in answering. "Because I hadn't explained anything to you yet of course, and I knew those girls had something to do with Nabiki, your face told me that. As for me fighting, well let's just say that I grew up in a rougher school district then most high school girls. Not to mention my home life." She tilted her head gently to Reiko, "Satisfied? At least for now?" Reiko thought it over, it all seemed plausible.

She smiled, "Alright, friends." With that the two girls got to scheming.

* * *

"Ok, I'll be back shortly." Rachel called back over her shoulder. She had just finished dinner with the Doctor, and explained that she wanted to get out and stretch her legs a bit. She didn't know where she was going but she had a bit of an itch.

Wandering around she saw a few familiar places from the anime. The school, Ucchan's, she even walked by the dojo. Finally she walked beside the canal until she came upon the footbridge. Leaning out she watched the water flow underneath the bridge carrying bits of wood and leaves.

"This is so weird. It has just got to be all a dream!" The woman moaned. Tofu had been quite ever since the morning, not that she knew how he normally acted but he shut himself into his study and only came out to care for patients. She tried asking him what was wrong a few times, but he quickly made an excuse to go back to his study. Whatever had set him off so badly, Rachel felt she wasn't going to like it.

"Perhaps, but then again dear lady perhaps you will be simply thrilled." Rachel's eyes widened at suddenly hearing British English behind her. Whirling around she was faced with a peculiar sight.

He was tall, maybe as tall as Dr. Tofu was. His nationality was mixed but he appeared to be more European then anything else. With cleanly cropped blonde hair and crystal blue eyes while wearing a white suit, he was extremely handsome. He quite easily was in his mid twenties. "Surprised Miss Hunter?" He asked with a cool and smooth baritone.

"Y-yes." She admitted, "Who are you? How do you know me?" She managed to get out. She didn't know why, but her senses were screaming at her to get away from this man, but she found her legs were seemingly paralyzed.

"Why Rachel, we spend so much time together and you don't know who I am? I'm hurt, truly I am." He mock pouted as he walked up to the wall beside her. Peering out he asked playfully, "Truly, have you no guesses at all as to who I am?"

'_K I'm with a nut job. I think that is obvious enough. _Thought Rachel ruefully.

"Oh come now Miss Hunter, is a nut job the best you can come up with?" Asked the strange man with a grin.

_What?! Is he some kind of mind reader? _Rachel wondered bewildered. The man again seemed to brighten his smile at her unspoken question.

"Verily. Though mind reading is nothing compared to what powers I really posses. Come now, try harder, it makes the game no fun if the pawns never play." The man continued to grin as Rachel took a few steps back, her legs suddenly working again.

She remembered the dream, or what she had thought a dream. One of the voices had spoken of a pawn needing to get into the game. Then a hand reaching for…

"Ah splendid, you do remember! Then follow it to its natural conclusion my dear girl." The man said brightly.

_If he was one of the ones talking about using me in some kind of game…then he or his friend must have brought me here! _She looked upon the man with fear. _What is he? A God?_

"Brilliant! Though I must say I am not a God. But yes I am the one who brought you here." The man clapped his hands in appreciation. Rachel growled at the placating manner he was treating her.

"Stay out of my head! Just what do you want? Why am I a pawn in this little game? What am I special in some way?" Yelled Rachel.

"So many questions." The man scoffed, "Special? Dear girl do you think you might actually be here because you are special?" The man was incredulous before bursting out laughing. A moment later he looked up at the woman with a nasty grin. Rachel suddenly was reminded of a predator's eyes, and they were looking at his prey.

"Poppet there is absolutely nothing special about you. Even you magick, which will manifest shortly, were not the reason you were chosen. I simply needed a pawn, and there you were. Your…_powers_ were nothing more then a convenient accident. But I'm sure you will be thankful for them in the time to come." The man said simply, but the meaning behind the words were clear.

"Who are you?" Rachel asked, fear creeping into her voice. The man stood straight before bowing with an arm across is waist.

"Loki, at your service." The man said with pride. Rachel simply stood there, call him Loki? Call him a God of mischief and mayhem? "Now then, I believe it is time to talk about your terms of service."

What if I don't want to be of service Loki?" Rachel spat out. Suddenly it was as if someone had placed her heart in a vice, crushing the life from her. Gasping she dropped to her knees, placing on hand on the ground and the other to her heart.

"If you don't wish to serve then you will die, it is as simple as that Rachel." Loki stood over her, his voice flat and the playful tone gone. "I do not have time for games, I need a servant who will do as I say, if that is not you I will simply destroy you and claim another." Bending down he placed his moth beside her ear. "Do you understand me?"

Rachel simply nodded and immediately the pain vanished. Gasping for breath she heard a slap on the pavement beside her, it was a plain manila envelope. "All that you are required to do for now is to get a job at Furinkan High School. Inside that envelope will be everything you will need to get started, things like you license and visa. It will also have education documents to prove you are certified to teach like you were in your world." Loki continued.

Rachel grasped the envelope in suddenly shaking hands. True to word inside the envelope was just as Loki had said, along with a several bills of Yen. "That's it, you want me to get a job at the local school? That's my big important job and why I was dragged into this world?" Rachel asked incredulously.

Loki simply laughed. "Patience, Miss Hunter. It will all be revealed in time. Oh, and do make sure to become friends with Ranma. It will make your ultimate goal so much easier." With that Loki simply faded away, leaving only the envelope in the woman's hands as evidence to his presence.

Shakily Rachel regained her footing, looking down at the envelope a moment she turned and made her way back to the clinic. She would play along for now with this 'Loki' to find out what he wanted. But if history served, if it involved Ranma it couldn't be good.

* * *


	5. Chapter 4

Akane sat quietly in her room. On her desk before her sat a textbook and notebook listing her homework. But it was plain to see that nothing had yet been done, as Akane had not yet moved since leaving the living room hours before. Glancing at her alarm clock she saw that it was fast approaching midnight. In frustration she closed the book and set both back into her school satchel. She decided her friends could probably help her out with the answers in the morning.

She sat back in her chair, replaying the conversation and ultimatum the parents had discussed with their children. Any normal girl, in fact almost every one of them at school, wanted to be with Ranma. She had a hard time believing sometimes the events that had brought the two together. She could still remember the first day he had shown up. It had been quite an introduction, as both Ranma and his father had shown up in their cursed forms. An ancient Chinese water activated curse, splash of cold water to activate the curse and warm water to deactivate it.

Ranma had been cursed to turn into a girl, a rather pretty one at that. With her red hair and rather large endowments, most guys were attracted to her female self as the girls to his boy half. But when Ranma had first shown up things had gotten rather complicated. Her father had ended up passed out and that left a rather quite girl sitting there. Akane had invited her out to the dojo in a bit of pity to her behavior. It was ironic that the quite young girl had turned out to be a rather loud young man. It was even surreal to suddenly find herself engaged to him, and to even end up…liking him.

Through all the adventures they had Ranma had been there for her. From the martial arts ice skating competition to the top of Mt. Phoenix Ranma had never given up on her. It was just to bad that that the rest of Ranma's life had made things so complicated. Between his fiancées interference and their own constant bickering they had ended up here preparing to go on what could be their final date. Suddenly the fear from before gripped her again, what if this was wrong? What if Ranma didn't want her, or if she couldn't accept his cursed half? It seemed unlikely that they would ever find a cure for the curse. They never really got anywhere close in the past. As he was now she would end up with a wife as well as husband in her marriage to Ranma.

But did she want to marry him? Akane didn't know, but she did know that when the Saotome matriarch had made her ultimatum Akane had been seized for a brief instant with a heart stopping moment of terror. She didn't know yet if she wanted to marry him, but she knew she didn't want to lose him. Akane jumped slightly at the knocking on her bedroom door.

"Akane? May I come in?" Came the gentle voice of her elder sister. Akane quickly stood up and let her sister in.

Kasumi was dressed in a nightgown and looked like she had been getting ready for bed. "Kasumi, what are you doing up so late?" Asked Akane.

"The same could be asked of you little sister. I was worried after the meeting when I saw neither you nor Ranma the rest of the evening. You both never responded when I called out for dinner either." At this Akane suddenly realized that she was hungry, partly as her stomach decided to make itself known just then. "Oh my, well that can be take care of easily enough." Said Kasumi as she lead the blushing Akane to the kitchen.

As they waited for some leftovers to thaw in the microwave Kasumi looked across the kitchen table at Akane. The younger sister looked depressed, and Kasumi could easily guess why. "Are you that worried Akane?" She asked gently.

Akane looked up, across her face emotions flashed one after another. Anger, hurt, depression, and many others. Kasumi sighed, Akane had always been the one that held her heart out in the open the most. Both of the older sisters had learned to hide their feelings at an early age, partly from the death of their mother, and partly to hold the house together in the wake of that death. Kasumi had become the surrogate mother, Nabiki the one to keep track the family finances, and Akane had simply been allowed to be the child they could not be. Their father had taken almost a full year to pull himself together enough to try and make an income for the family again. But still the sisters had continued their roles to this day.

Even to this night, where the eldest would console the youngest. "Akane, what's wrong?" Kasumi asked again gently."

"What's wrong? Kasumi what _isn't_ wrong?" Akane said loudly. As Akane took a deep breath to calm herself Kasumi heard the almost imperceptible squeaking of the staircase outside the kitchen. "Why did he do that? Why did Dad decide to do this Kasumi?" Akane asked with tears in her eyes.

"Akane, what Father and the Saotomes are trying to do is-" Akane cut her off suddenly, the tempest of emotions playing across her face now settling on anger.

" I know what they are trying to do Kasumi! But it is just so unfair! Why now? Why suddenly now are we being forced to decide?" Akane demanded.

"You haven't been asked to decide anything yet. I merely wish to know if you two are serious about your relationship or not." Came a woman's voice from the doorway. Akane jerked her head around, settling her gaze upon Nodaka. The older woman was dressed in a house Kimono, and had just risen from sleep judging from the slightly unkempt hair.

"A-auntie? What do you mean serious? Auntie what do you want from us?" Akane stammered out. She was upset enough not to question why the Saotome had been up, mealy that she could present herself as a target to vent her frustration on.

"Lots of grandchildren would be nice." The older woman deadpanned with a smile. It was enough to shock Akane into sitting again along with deflating most of her anger. "Akane we are not doing this to hurt either you or Ranma, but this foolishness must end. In less then a year you two will be going to college, after that if you two are married you will be taking over the Dojo." Nodaka sighed and took a seat with the other two girls at the kitchen table.

"Akane, you and Ranma sometimes are like the immovable object and the irresistible force. It has been so bad at times your Father has admitted that he has thought of switching to one of your sisters for the responsibility of the engagement on a permanent basis. But, like him, every time I came to the same point you two would suddenly work together on a problem in such perfect unison that it was as if you were of one mind and soul." Nodaka gave a feminine snort, "In a very disturbing way you two remind me of my own engagement to Genma." she said with a smile.

Both girls suddenly looked surprised. "Your own engagement Auntie?" Akane asked in surprise. Nodaka simply laughed.

"Of course, does Genma seem like the one to sweep a girl off her feet?" Nodaka asked with a smile. Akane tried to think of an instance where Genma had shown any grace or charm…and couldn't find anything.

"We were engaged in a method similar to your own, where else do you think Genma and your father came up with this idea? True arranged marriages are still common, but not nearly as common as they used to be." Hearing the microwave chime Kasumi stood up to fetch the food. "I was like you, and Genma was like Ranma, almost like a perfect echo it feels like sometimes." She said while leaving a tone of remembrance in her voice.

"Then why…?" Akane trailed off, her question hanging in the air.

"Because we managed to work it out in the end, though it would be untrue to say that everything went smoothly. But we did admit it eventually between us the love we shared, and I feel that you and Ranma will do the same one day. He is a man amongst men, and he will do the manly thing or he will lose something I know he holds dear. However I think he will be like his father and be stubborn to the bitter end. It will be up to you to force his hand in this matter Akane. He is most likely waiting for you to make the first move." Nodaka said gently. As Kasumi placed the food in front of Akane, Nodaka stood and walked back towards the staircase. "Be sure to get some rest, you have school in a few hours. We can talk more another time." With that the matriarch made her way back to bed, leaving Akane to ponder the information given. She only paused at the doorway to smile in return to Kasumi's grateful one.

Kasumi turned back to look at her sister eating slowly. _Oh mother, please help them both make it past their test, _she prayed silently.

* * *

Her boots slapped solidly against the cold marble floors. Walking down this stretch of the hallway was reminiscent of walking through a church cathedral. On either side the walls were lined with stained glass murals depicting various scenes of peace and prosperity. The echoes of her passage seeming muted despite what one would normally expect. That was what _He_ wanted, for anyone who walked this path to so in quite contemplation of what they were working towards.

She adjusted her cap, the white star catching the light and flashing brightly as she did so. She didn't know why he had come, but there was no mistaking the effect he had on their organization in the few short decades. In that time they had pushed the darkness back, already some cities were having record lows for violent crimes. They had better funding then they ever had, and weapons that allowed them to take on the Dark with equal footing. There were some dissenters, as there always were, complaining about the man's agenda.. It _was _obvious he had an agenda of his own, but he made no secret of that fact. It was refreshing is an odd way. But as long as his goals helped their fight she didn't think their was any reason to not follow his orders.

She came upon the dark mahogany double doors leading to his chambers. Set in the doors were two silver plated brass knockers fashioned into the shape of lions heads. Grasping the ring held in one lion's mouth she brought it down three loud times. She could hear echoes of the impacts inside the room beyond the door. It was quite for a moment, then the door began to open under its own volition to allow her access.

Stepping into the room she noticed the man she sought kneeling in his usual position on a raised dais. The door shut itself behind her, the heavy thud of its closing echoed within the spacious room. In front of her the scenes of heaven looked down on her, and she felt judged by the innumerable cold inanimate eyes of the glass faces. The rest of the room looked like an old study, with bookshelves along the walls and their contents scattered around the room in piles or on tables. There was no bed or any modern convenience. Even the light in the room was given off dozens of candles.

"You have found the first?" His deep voice queried from beneath his hood. The woman simply reached within one of her pants pockets and produced the brilliant red stone she had retrieved from her visit to the middle east. It had been a simple matter of having the mystics use their knowledge to reduce its size to a more manageable state.

"Yes my liege, the stone of Fire and Courage has been found. However the Enemy has the stone of Earth and Strength. We are still trying to track down the last two stones." The woman stated crisply. The figure seemed to nod and stood. Making his way down the dais he pulled his hood back revealing his face.

His features were perfect, though his skin seemed to be of a tanned Caucasian man it held no blemish. Though he grew his beard into a goatee that framed his mouth, his cheeks were so smooth that is was impossible a razor had ever touched them. His chestnut brown hair framed his face as it spilled down to his shoulders in a haphazard way that only seemed to enhance his looks. In short he was a perfect specimen of manhood, the only thing that seemed out of place on his face were the brilliant golden eyes that seemed to be the same shade of the sun itself.

Walking over to the simple wooden table he picked up the stone, holding it up to the light and gazing upon the refractions that seemed to dance within. He spoke to the woman as he continued to study the stone. "That they have one of five is of no consequence. It simply means that we know where to go to retrieve it when the time comes." Placing the stone down he turned to face the woman. "Perhaps it is time to meet the Gatekeeper." Gently he tucked the stone away into his robes.

The woman appeared shocked, "Meet him? Sir that would be exposing ourselves and our intentions to the enemy." She protested. The man simply seemed to chuckle.

"Perhaps, but I've been informed that the Enemy is already setting plans in motion to ensnare him. It seems that others have had their eye on our young friend for as long as we have." He explained gently.

"Th-they know?" The woman stammered in confusion despite herself, "How can they possibly know? We have made no motions towards him in any way!" She declared in anger.

"Perhaps that is why in itself. He is simply that kind of young man that is impossible to ignore. Regardless of _how_ they know, it is simply enough to know that they do. Perhaps he can be reasoned with to join us willingly . If not there are other ways to persuade him if need be." He made a motion to the woman to follow him as he walked towards the door.

"What are your orders Sir?" Asked the woman as she opened the door for the man. He never broke stride as he continued out into the corridor.

"We will make our way to Japan to speak with this Gatekeeper. I also think it is time for you to visit your granddaughter. I've been thinking of a way to make her useful to us once again." He said with a warm smile that did not reach his cold eyes.

* * *

The Cat Café was a popular Chinese restaurant that had only opened in the last year and a half. In that time it had become quite a popular meeting place for teens and adults. Though it seemed that most of the patrons were male, it wasn't hard to guess why when you saw the waitress.

This waitress was exactly the first thing Dr. Tofu saw as he entered the Café that morning. She was obviously of Chinese decent, beautiful, and had very long deep violet hair. The fact that she was also a deadly Amazon who knew many varied and secret fighting techniques was hidden under a very frilly waitress outfit.

"Ni Hou! Welcome to Cat Café. Shampoo show you to table today Dr. Tofu?" Came the sing song voice of the waitress. Shampoo was more or less a bastardization of her Chinese name, Xian Pu, but she had simply gotten used to it over the last year.

"Yes thank you Shampoo. Could you please tell Elder Cologne that I wish to speak with her as well?" Shampoo glanced around the café, the lunch rush wasn't due for a few more hours so the café was relatively empty.

"I ask, should be Ok." Replied Shampoo as she lead him to a table. "Wait a moment, ask Great-Grandmother for you Dr. Tofu." With that Shampoo disappeared behind a counter into the kitchen.

A few minutes later the Matriarch of the Amazons appeared hopping on a wooden staff as if it were a pogo stick. It was painfully obvious that the Matriarch was old as she had wrinkles to spare. In fact it almost looked like her skin was two sizes to big for her diminutive frame. However one only had to look into her eyes to see years of wisdom and experience shining as well as a keen intellect that constantly was working.

Standing quickly Dr. Tofu bowed deeply, this produced a chuckle from the woman. "It is nice to see that some young people still know how to show respect for their elders." She said as she took a seat across from the Doctor. "It is rare that you come in here Dr. Tofu, what do I owe the pleasure to for today's early morning visit young man?" There was a hint of amusement in her voice.

Coughing into his fist the doctor began to explain his problem, "Five days ago I received an…unusual patient. She just woke up two days ago." He trailed off in uncertainty. How could he explain everything about Rachel without explaining everything. Cologne took the pause to ask a question of her own.

"Unusual you say? Would she have anything to do with the disturbance around the afternoon that day?" Cologne asked simply, however there was something lurking in the undercurrent of her question.

Tofu turned his head to look around the Café. It was obvious that the answer he had to give was making him uneasy. "Yes, I think she did, her aura seems to suggest so at least."

"Does she know what she is then?"

"I don't think she does, not yet at least." Tofu said tiredly, "However it will be only a matter of time. That is why I came to you, to ask for the Naban mirror."

Cologne simply stared at him for a very long moment, "No." Was her reply. She held up a wrinkled hand to stay the doctor's protests before she continued. "It won't work like you think it will young man. With the mirror shattered it simply is to unpredictable to use. You cannot send her back were she belongs with it." Dr. Tofu seemed to deflate visibly at her response.

"What do you suggest then Cologne?" Bowing his head.

"We could simply kill her and put her out of her misery." The matriarch said plainly. The Doctor looked up sharply at the older woman.

"I will not kill one of my patients!" He said passionately, the few patrons in the restaurant turned their head in curiosity. Tofu meekly looked down at his lap.

Cologne simply shook her head. "She may end up killing herself when she finds out. That is if she has any regard for the sanctity of life. If she does, it may be the kindest thing we can do for her. The longer you wait doctor the more dangerous it will be to do if the need should arise, for all of us." Cologne tilted her head, "Where is she now?"

Tofu removed his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Somehow she managed to acquire money last night that she won't tell me about. She is currently out shopping for clothes before she plans to try to get a job at Furinkan. Again she won't tell me why the sudden interest." He was startled by a the sound of the matriarch slapping the table.

"Are you mad?," The old woman nearly shouted. She turned her head and glared at the patrons who had taken interest in the two, the few who had quickly returned to their own business. Turning back to the doctor she continued, "She is a threat to us all, she will become corrupted, and she will end up killing thousands." The matriarch listed off.

Tofu shook his head, "You're wrong, I've seen her aura, it holds no evil intent despite the influence! Her very nature and belief ties her with life. I think there must another way, there has to be!" He looked into the eyes of the matriarch as he said this. The woman's eyes narrowed in an accusatory fashion.

"Why do you wish to protect her Tofu?"

The question caught the doctor off guard. He cared for his patients true, but this was outside anything the Hippocratic Oath could ever cover. But something in the nature of the woman temporarily staying with him made him want to trust her, even though he had only known her for two days. He said as much to the matriarch.

"Then it is quite possible she has already sunk her claws into you, as will be her nature. But as you wish I will let the matter rest for now, though I expect to meet this girl and decide myself her fate soon. Agreed?" Cologne stated sternly, "Now, what is this girls name?"

"Her name is Rachel Hunter." Cologne nodded dismissively, letting Dr. Tofu stand and leave the Café. He didn't know yet if it had been a good idea to have gone to the Elder about this, but perhaps having a second pair of eyes observing his patient might not be a bad idea.

* * *

Rachel was stressed, there were many reasons for this. Not just because she found herself in a world she had considered to be fictional. It didn't even have to do with a being who claimed to have brought her here, using her as a pawn, though it didn't help. Nor was it simply trying to navigate a foreign country with no guide or ability to read the language, at least not more then a few dozen different characters. Even the realization that all the crazy shades that people had in anime for hair or eye color were commonplace here didn't really faze her. It had been slightly unnerving though having a sales clerk who had light green hair with orange eyes.

No the thing that currently had her stressed was simply the fact of having made the mistake of walking past an electronic store. In usual marketing fashion it had been playing the news, though Rachel thought it had been playing an anime.

_Man, just how messed up is this situation going to be? _She thought of some of the headlines she had heard. _Sailor Senshi saving civilians from oni attacks again? Mithril receives praise from the U.N. for rescue of hostages? Lupin the III strikes again in an European country? What, am I in the middle of some great junction of Animes? _Rachel thought miserably in the guest room above Dr. Tofu's clinic. Beside her sat the fruits of her mornings efforts to get clothes. A few different casual outfits she had managed to find along with some business wear for her interview, which she hadn't expected at all to be today. Sighing she picked up the slip of paper she had written upon.

The phone had decided to ring as soon as she had placed her bags down in her room an hour before. The eerie part about it had been who was on the other end trying to reach her specifically by name. It had been the Furinkan High School's Principal's Office, confirming an appointment to talk to the Principle about employment as an English teacher later that day. The secretary even apologized about not confirming it with her sooner. She had just found the slip of paper on her desk earlier that morning.

Rachel suddenly clenched her fist, crumpling the paper containing the time of the meeting within her fist in anger. She never liked the feeling of manipulation, and this stunk so much of it that she knew exactly who to blame. "Loki." The name slipped out of her mouth like a vile curse. "What are you after here? Why the trouble?"

She had been up for hours last night trying desperately to figure out what was going on. As a result her sleep had been minimal to say the least and even her morning ritual had failed to calm her nerves. The woman simply could not figure out any reason to the madness she currently found herself in. It was to chaotic, but she felt instinctively that it was vital she figured out Loki's plan as soon as could be before it was to late. Even though 'to late' was as vague as the rest of it.

Glancing at her new watch Rachel decided to start getting ready for her interview. Twenty minutes later she was on her way to Furinkan Dressed in her brand new black dress pants, black pumps, and a forest green short sleeved dress shirt. A gold necklace and pair of earrings completed her ensemble and making her modest looks stand out more. Her hair normally kept up in a ponytail was let loose to flow down her backside. In one hand clutched the envelope with her papers she knew she would need.

Another ten minutes she was walking through the gates of the high school. Though she had walked by it the previous evening it had been starting to get dark leaving details unable to be seen on the building. In the noonday sun it was plain to see the patchwork condition, and she knew exactly who to blame for most of it. _I'm going to be working here? Inner city is one thing, even Midwest schools were sometimes stressful, but this is going to be a whole new challenge._ Rachel gave a small smile as she made her way down the walkway to the front entrance. _Then again, maybe that will be fun. Not everyday you get to teach in as crazy a place as this one._

About halfway to the door she became aware of just how much attention was currently focused on her. Smiling she forced herself to steadily walk to the front entrance. _Jeez, now I know how the monkeys in the Zoo must feel._ It hadn't occurred to her until just then how being American was very much an oddity, it was her that was the foreigner and out of her element being in this country. Now she knew why the exchange students at her college had been so nervous all the time _Ok, this might be a lot tougher then I thought._

Quickly she ducked into the building as soon as she reached the door, not trying to make it seem like she was running away from the stares of the student. A few questions later gave her directions to the Principle's office. The Secretary portion of the office was very neat and well organized. Walking up to an older Asian woman dressed in business casual who was typing away at a computer, she stood patiently waiting to be recognized.

A moment later the woman looked up from her work to the Caucasian woman before her, "Ah, Miss. Hunter I presume?" She glanced at a table clock, "You are a little bit early, but I don't think that will be a problem. May I have your certificates to copy as you talk to Mr. Kuno?"

_Kuno? Why does that strike a memory? I know Kuno the kendoist, but Principle Kuno?_ Shaking her head Rachel handed over the papers. "Will I need to fill out anything before my interview?"

The secretary smiled, "No that won't be necessary, we will simply need your address for mailing you any paperwork that may occur while you work here. But other than that Mr. Kuno prefers to keep paperwork to a minimum." Rachel could swear she saw the woman's eye twitch nervously at her own comment.

"R-right, so I guess I simply need to meet the man?" Something was setting her on edge, the name Kuno and the secretary's behavior seeming a bit to strange to Rachel.

"Yep, his door is right over there," She said gesturing over to the far wall where a simple wooden door was. "He is expecting you so you can just walk on in." Smiling again Rachel was suddenly struck again with the feeling that the Secretary's smile was forced somehow.

As Rachel opened the door and walked into the office a male teacher walked into the Secretary's office. He noticed the door to Mr. Kuno's office closing as he came up to the woman manning the desk. "So Mrs. Honda, I assume the Principle is busy right now?" He asked gesturing to the now closed door.

"Yep, some unlucky soul beat you to the loon Keitaro." She said showing him Rachel's envelope.

"No kidding? New hire? Must have gotten poor grades at a University to land a job here." Keitaro said shaking his head sadly.

"Nope, she's American if you can believe it. Top grades in her class and all that." She looked over to the door, "Even asked specifically to get a job here from the teacher exchange program. A real glutton for punishment if you ask me, and she had such beautiful long hair."

"Really? American girl, eh?" The man gave a low whistle as he to looked to the door as well. It currently was quite, but both knew it only had a moment if not seconds to last. "Bet you she manages to escape with about half her hair left." He said sideways nonchalantly.

Mrs. Honda raised an eyebrow, "Oh? What if I bet it's a complete shave?"

"Loser buys from Ucchan's?"

"Deal. It should be starting," She glanced at her desk clock, "in five…four…three…two…now!" Almost on cue a scream came from the office followed by several thumps and crashes. The door handle for the office jerked once, then a few more times desperately before being followed by more shouts and crashes.

"They always try the door first, next is usually the window right?" Keitaro asked.

"What they assume is a window, its just painted onto the wall. Otherwise the students would be constantly vandalizing it. Remember?" Several more crashes coming from one side of the room confirmed the pattern. A few more minutes seem to go by with continued crashes, shouts, and even the odd explosion.

"She seems to be handling herself quite well. If she had been shaved she would have been dragged out here already." Keitaro noted, "She might be able to survive here yet. I managed to survive ten minutes before he knocked me out with one of his pineapple bombs." He said proudly.

"I remember, you didn't stop complaining about your shaved head for the first month you worked here." Mrs Honda smiled brightly to the younger man to deflate some of his ego. Suddenly a particularly large explosion sounded from the office before everything got quite. "Oh well, she got beaten already. Guess you better get ready to take my order Keitaro." Mrs. Honda grinned triumphantly.

Suddenly the handle rattled a few times before opening to reveal Rachel…with all her hair despite a few locks that had gotten a slight buzz. Her outfit had a few tears however, and overall had the same singed look as her hair did. She was also, oddly enough, missing a shoe. Staggering a few steps out of the office she closed the door before leaning back gasping heavily for breath.

Mrs. Honda put on a big smile for the young woman, despite sending a few curses to the man under her breath, "Ah, you passed the interview process. Congratulations!" The secretary said with a bright fake cheery tone.

From underneath her bangs Rachel looked across the room at the pair. "Interview process? The lunatic was throwing pineapple bombs at me! He was going on about shaving my hair to be in some sort of regulation."

Keitaro nodded his head sagely, "Yes our Principle here is a bit…eccentric. But don't worry, think of it as a sort of initiation, we all got the same 'interview' from Mr. Kuno."

"Ya kidden right?" Came Rachel's reply. No wonder she felt she remembered a Mr. Kuno, he was the other Kuno's father! He was just as, if not more so, delusional and crazy as his son. _If _he only had that Hawaiian fetish that would have been bad enough, but the man even had a palm tree growing out the top of his head! "Great, I'm working for a lunatic." She moaned.

"Actually, he fits right in with quite a few of the students here at Furinkan." Keitaro helpfully supplied causing the distressed woman to groan. The secretary suddenly coughed to get their attention.

"Miss. Hunter, I'm sure Mr. Hiro here will be more then happy to show you to your desk in the teacher's lounge. If you still wish you can start teaching classes tomorrow."

Rachel hung her head. She would love to say screw it and go back to Tofu's, but she knew that wasn't an option. At least she managed to get the job without getting losing her hair in the process. Looking back up at Mr. Hiro she simply gave a weak nod. Standing up she followed him out of the office weakly, while trying to minimize the awkwardness of missing a shoe.

"By the way Miss. Hunter," Mrs. Honda called after her, "How did you beat him? You must be the third person at this school to beat him."

Smiling over her shoulder Rachel gave her answer, "I spent a large part of my childhood playing soccer as a goalie. When one of his bombs fell short I simply returned it to him. To bad I lost a shoe in the process though." With that she was gone.

The older woman simply smiled, "Yep, she is going to do just fine here." Looking at the door she stood up and grabbed her purse before making to leave the room as well. "I think I'll take a long lunch today."

* * *

Nabiki was not happy. The reason she was not happy was staring at her from her shoe locker. Someone had decided to fill her shoes with mud, then left a toothpick sticking out of it with a note glued to it.

_Hey Nabiki, don't be such a stick in the mud. _It was of course unsigned, but it did have a little smiley face drawn where one would have signed.

Someone was challenging her. Someone was challenging her on _her_ turf. Inside she was practically boiling with rage while her outside showed only a narrowing of eyes. Behind Nabiki two of her lieutenants stood twitching nervously. They couldn't believe it, no one had ever dared to cross Nabiki since middle school. The last had been a girl who had her reputation so thoroughly and viciously crushed she had to transfer to a completely different district. Now someone had dared to challenge the Ice Queen by messing with her stuff?

"Names," Nabiki said quietly, icily, "I want to know who did this, someone must have seen them." She knew already with certainty just who had done it, but she wanted proof to make it easier to completely crush the insolent girl.

"B-boss," Stammered one of the girls, "We already asked around as soon as we heard. Nobody had seen anything." The other girl take a few steps away as Nabiki turned to face the messanger with bad news. Nabiki didn't scowl exactly, but the air around her seemed to drop to a chilly temperature.

"You are telling me one of the areas of the school that always has someone in it had no witnesses to this?" Her question was calm and as cold as a winter's night. The girl swallowed audibly before continuing.

"Y-yes Boss. No one saw anything." The girl stammered out, she was definitely regretting opening her mouth at all. When Nabiki turned back to the shoe locker the girl let out a breath she hadn't known she had been holding.

"It doesn't matter, there is only one girl who would dare to do this." She made a motion to the girls to follow before walking back to her classroom. Students in the hallways in an instinct of survival moved out of the Ice Queen's way. Though she didn't show it, and didn't walk any differently then before; they somehow knew that to cross the Queen today was to do so at one's own peril.

"I want dirt, any dirt, on Rei Hibiki, _now_." Nabiki said without facing her liutenants. "What have we found so far?"

"Nothing, her records are clean." The second girl who had been silent up to now supplied. "She was orphaned at a young age and had gotten into an exchange program due to her own merit."

"If she is clean then she isn't. Dig deeper, I know her type and I know she has something. Everyone has something. Follow her, capture her every movement on tape. I don't want her dropping a grain of rice from her bento without us knowing it." Nabiki said tersely. Nodding their heads even though their employer couldn't see them the two girls left to follow their orders.

Nabiki entered her classroom and sat at her desk. Reiko hadn't turned up anything while tailing Rei. Rei had simply given her the slip. That meant that Rei wasn't going to be her usual challenger that popped up every once and awhile. Most of those fools were dealt with before anyone knew there had been a challenge in the first place. But Rei was different, she had publicly challenged Nabiki and though she couldn't prove it the American had done so again. She had to be dealt with quickly before the other sheep got any ideas.

She folded her hands before her. It was time to make a few calls regarding Miss. Hibiki.

* * *

Author's corner:

Hey all, if you read this far into my story I want to thank you. This story and its chapters are hard for me to write because of several things. First is real life, always a pain. Second is that I have never written a story out that is this complex. (Least I hope it is complex so far.) The third reason ties directly into the second in that all my limited skill is being pushed to the limit in writing this story, so I have a lot of fear that I'm not describing enough or not being clear in what I'm trying to write.

I also want to answer some questions I've been getting over my two OC's. The first is if Rachel and Rei are both OC's, I'm flattered at the emails that some people think that I took them from an anime somewhere. That means they fit in to an anime world, which I'm trying to do. But no, these characters came exclusively from my head.

The second is if Rachel or Rei are me. That is a firm no. There are some qualities that get transferred, but all authors do that to a degree. She isn't a Mary Sue or Self Insert and I'm taking pains to keep them both from either of those territories.

If you like my story please leave a review, it inspires me greatly. I want to tell the best story I can but that is meaningless if my readers don't understand what I'm trying to write. So tell me what yall think please!

Now to get back to my corner to write the next chapter. ^.^


	6. Chapter 5

So far it had been a slow morning for Rachel. She had shown up at the school early to get her desk organized in the student lounge. Unlike American schools she was informed she would have to walk between classes, students stayed in their respective rooms for most of the day. It was slightly surreal to the teacher who had been used to the opposite for the last few years. Then again she had been feeling surreal experiences quite often the past few days, and still could not quite wrap her head around the fact that this was all real. That everything that was happening to her was real.

"Well now, it seems someone else is an early bird around here." The sultry voice from the door knocked Rachel back to the present moment. Turning her head sharply she had to resist the urge to drool. Because framed in the doorway was a busty brunette in a form fitting yellow dress with hair hanging to her waist. Rachel merely gulped…loudly. Apparently the anime industry had not been exaggerating the curves of this universes women.

"Um…I-I was j-just getting organized. For my classes. I'm a teacher." Rachel awkwardly stammered out. Damn it, I don't remember a girl like her, no make that woman like her in the manga! Way to make an impression you idiot! She shook herself mentally, trying to shake off the blush that tinged her cheeks.

The woman didn't seem fazed in the slightest. Walking over she gave a slight bow to the American. "I heard we were looking for a new English teacher. I didn't realize that they would find someone so quickly."

"That's because no one wants to deal with working under our esteemed Principle Kuno." Came a cheerful male's voice from behind the two of them. It was Keitaro Hiro, the male teacher who had shown Rachel around the day before. "You ladies are going to make me look bad if you all keep showing up before me. Makes me look like a slacker." He flashed a cocky smile before taking his seat at his desk. He promptly put his hands behind his head and leaned back, never losing the cocky smile plastered on his face.

"Hmmph, like you would need any help from us in that regard Hiro. Especially considering the science club you oversee is so rampant in their…'studies.' They are nothing but delinquents!" The woman shot back.

"Oh come now, creating a bacteria to eat petroleum spills is a wonderful contribution to humanity." Hiro responded.

"W-what? How could you have a problem with that? That's incredible for students so young!" Remarked Rachel in wonderment despite her continued nervousness. Is science in this world that much advanced? Hiro flashed a brilliant smile her way in appreciation.

"You see? Even the new girl can see the brilliance of my leadership." Hiro responded smoothly.

"That is because she doesn't know the side effect your 'brilliance' caused," The brunette responded coldly. She turned to look down at Rachel before continuing. "You see, it works very well on consuming petroleum. It also eats petroleum products. That would include most clothing and undergarments. The pandemonium his students caused made us refer to the bacteria as "the Full Monte" strain."

"I still say it was a great contribution to Man." Hiro said.

"Yes, to the displeasure of most Women." The woman came back with. Shaking her head she started to walk out the room." I have students to check up on while I still have my treatment in place. Try not to corrupt our new teacher on her first day Hiro." Pausing at the doorway she turned back to the still blushing teacher. "I hope we can get to know each other later, good luck on your first day." Then with a bow the woman was gone.

Hiro just whistled at the passage of the brunette. "Man, if only she were like that all the time. Her condition really takes the fun out of life sometimes." Standing up the man made his way to the door as well. "Guess I better check on the science rooms. Good luck Miss. Hunter, you have Ranma in one of your classes. Try not to go run screaming for the hills."

With that the man was gone, leaving Rachel still sitting there. Sighing she leaned forward and rested her head on the desk. She sighed at the cool wood as it chilled her inflamed cheeks. "This…is going to be a long, long, day."

* * *

It was later that day Ranma sat at his desk staring out into the sky. Rei had decided to tag along this morning with both him and Akane. He didn't like how his fiancée was starting to act so friendly to the American. But Akane refused to listen to his reasons of why she shouldn't hang around her. Stupid tomboy, how dense is she gonna get anyway? First Ryoga and now Rei, did I piss off a Kami or what? Stupid Hibikis. Ranma grumbled internally.

His sub-consciousness registered the class rep Reiko giving the orders to stand and bow. His consciousness also vaguely registered the fact that it meant another teacher was getting ready to start a lecture. Ranma didn't even stir. It hadn't taken long after his arrival for the instructors to give up on forcing him to follow most school rules. Despite his hectic life and abysmally poor study habits Ranma had managed to keep his average and class attendance in the school's regulations. But any attempts at trying to get him to conform to the dress code had failed. This along with the frequent destruction of school property that occurred around him caused Ranma to be seen by the staff as more or less a nuisance that just could not be gotten rid of. They had tried several times to get him expelled, but first it was Nabiki that stonewalled their efforts, then it was the Principle himself that refused to do so. The first was motivated by Yen, the second by his lunacy.

In short, the school more or less left Ranma alone, and Ranma did his best to return the favor. So when the instructor took her place at the front of the room he paid it no heed, even when she began her lesson. He just continued to stare out the window and watched the clouds float by.

He also didn't notice when the instructor stopped talking, or the footsteps coming towards him. Or the yelling that occurred trying to catch his attention. Ranma just continued to stare out at the cloud that vaguely looked like Ukyo's okonomiyaki. That was until something slammed into his desk, knocking him out of his daydreams most forcibly.

With a jerk he whipped his head around in surprise to face a foreigner. She was slightly taller then him and wore a blue short sleeved buttoned shirt and black slacks, and she looked angry. She nodded with her hands on her hips at him. "Good, now that I have your attention you can give me your name. Mister…?" She trailed off.

Ranma, still slightly shaken, could only dumbly stutter out his name. "R-ranma Saotome S-sensei." The female instructor nodded once.

"I see, so you would be the infamous Ranma Saotome, top tier martial artist? Well, since you obviously have such an excellent grasp of the English language to waste time daydreaming then you will obviously have no trouble reading the next line for the class." Seeing him look around as if for help the instructor narrowed her eyes, "Now, Mr. Saotome."

Ranma looked down at his desk, nothing placed upon it except the instructor's notebook, and struggled to come up with something. Suddenly a phrase popped into his head, "I look for bathroom?" he said awkwardly in English, much to the amusement of his classmates who burst out laughing. Ranma sighed and started to get up. He knew the drill, first the instructor makes an example of him and then he stands out in the hall with buckets.

"Where do you think you are going Mr. Saotome?" The teacher asked sternly. Ranma froze halfway out of his seat.

"The hallway, that's where ya send the stupid students right?" Ranma asked tiredly. What, was she going to mock him a bit first?

"Sit down Saotome." She said firmly, to which Ranma confusingly complied. "Since you seem to want to waste my time I will return the favor. Be outside the teacher's lounge after school, you will be asking for Miss. Hunter." Turning around she made her way back to the front of the class. "In the meantime take out your supplies and follow along, or at least do a better job of faking it." She called back over her shoulder, to the snickers of his classmates.

Ranma shrugged and did as he was told. It was just one more teacher trying to change him. She would give up soon enough.

* * *

"You are nuts, you know that right Hunter?" Rachel looked up from her desk at Keitaro standing in the doorway. It seemed the two of them had the same free period. It was two hours after her class with Ranma, and it seemed the news of her actions had already made it's rounds throughout the school. She had to admire the Japanese rumor mill, it made the American girls look quiet and close lipped.

"Oh? And how am I crazy for punishing Ranma?" She asked in return. She had already gotten tired of the stares in the hallways after her fourth class today, she was already on her way to a foul mood.

"No one wastes their time with the Saotome kid anymore. Its pointless." Hiro shrugged, "Not everyone makes it to being a good citizen, better to focus on the students you can teach. The others, well they made their bed. Saotome might have talent as a martial artist, but as a student he is just a dumb jock." He was nonchalant in his tone, which made the fury boiling up in Rachel all the hotter.

She had seen people like Hiro in her five years of teaching. She had grown used to in in the inner city schools which were under funded and under staffed sometimes. She had been told to let the 'retards' and the 'punks' stew in their own juices if they wanted. No sense holding back the smart ones or the ones who can actually amount to something. She even came across it in rural school she had been last teaching at, though now it was more toward the 'faggots'. She resisted that philosophy with all her heart though and tried to teach everyone equally. They may be set in their ways but she was not, different culture be damned!

"Mr. Hiro," She ground out, "While I appreciate the concern I would thank you to let me deal with my own students." Standing up she started to make her way to the door past the other teacher's unoccupied desks. As she made to pass Keitaro he reached out and grabbed her by the arm, hard. "Let me go Hiro, I mean it." She hissed at him. The man shook his head at the American.

"Miss. Hunter, don't forget that the nail that sticks up must be beat down. But if you can't then it is best to simply get a new nail." Rachel stared defiantly back at the neutral visage of Mr. Hiro. He then simply let go of her and walked away down the hall as the bell rung. She lost him in the crowd of students that flowed out of the classrooms for lunch.

Sighing she went back to her desk and collapsed in her chair, leaning forward she held her head in her hands. Thinking about Hiro's reaction to her statement made her wonder if she was going to make a few enemies in the near future. Guess I'll find out after school. She thought with a rueful smile on her lips. Ranma, I wonder if you truly are as dumb as they claim you are?

* * *

"She did what?" Ukyo asked in surprise. She was Ranma's third fiancee, the 'cute' one as Ranma himself had put it. Though currently the only thing really giving away the fact she was a girl was her long chestnut colored hair tied back in a ponytail. Her curves hidden beneath a boy's uniform. But despite any initial confusion of her gender she was known as the best okonomiyaki chief around.

Which she was currently reeducating Ranma in, on the house of course. "Yeah, she has me coming in after school. Dunno why though. Most of the teachers gave up on me already. " Ranma said from his position of leaning back against a tree with his eyes closed.

Ukyo sighed before flipping the okonomiyaki she had made onto a plate and handing it to Ranma."I dunno sugar, Americans are supposed to be pretty lax. At least that's how the tourists always look. Maybe she isn't so bad?" She sighed as Ranma simply inhaled the food she had made for him. "You are going to need better grades to get into a good university anyways Ranchan." She pointed out.

The boy had polished the plate at this time and handed it back to the girl with a smile, "Thanks Ucchan, but I don't need anything 'sides being the best. When am I ever going to use that stuff anyway? Or to run a dojo?" Ranma leaned back with his hands behind his head and looked up at the sky. "'sides, Pops said all that other stuff is a big waste of time, that's why he never taught it to me."

"Yeah, probably because he couldn't figure it out either." Ukyo muttered under her breath before sighing in exasperation. As she started to make more food Ukyo began to talk to her fiancée about a different foreigner. "Hey Ranchan, who was that girl I saw you talking to earlier? She the American everyone is talking about?" Her tone was friendly enough, but Ranma had been on the receiving end of his fiancée's wrath enough times to learn when to step lightly….usually. In this case he didn't need to pretend or exaggerate any denials.

"Yeah, that's her. Don't worry though, the old man had nothing to do with her being here." He said offhandedly. Ukyo grinned widely at that.

"Oh well. I guess those panda flavored okonomiyaki will have to wait to be a house special. Ranma's eye twitched at the comment, part of him wondering how serious his 'cute' fiancée was and the same part wondering if it would be such a bad outcome. He coughed into his hand.

"Dunno 'bout that Ucchan, even if the old man didn't have anything to do with it, kinda wish she would leave already." Ukyo paused at the monotone voice that came from Ranma, letting the okonomiyaki sizzle on the grill. She was slightly less shocked then Akane had been before at the outright refusal that Ranma was making of the American. She may not be Japanese, but Ukyo didn't think it was something to hold against her to much. That and Ranma was normally a pretty outgoing guy, clueless sometimes but still outgoing. The only times he really had any animosity towards anyone was because they were a challenger, and that was only as long as the challenge lasted.

"Common now, what she challenge you Sugar?" Ukyo teased Ranma, "Common, Americans don't take martial arts seriously, maybe you could teach her?" Ukyo said lightly.

Yeah, that's gonna happen Ucchan. Ranma wanted to say instead of, "Maybe Ukyo, but do me a favor and keep 'n eye on her would ya?" Ranma said with a bright smile. Ukyo felt her heart skip a beat. But Ranma, in a rare burst of insight realized something. If he had to stay after school, did that mean Akane would…?

No way, even 'Kane wouldn't be that… Ranma grimaced, Yeah she would. Jumping to his feet he started to dash towards the main entrence. "Thanks Ucchan, see ya later." He called behind him with a wave. Leaving a very confused fiancee still frozen in the act of giving him another plate of food.

* * *

"You want me not to walk home with Rei? Why?" It was the end of the day and classes when Ranma had finally caught up with Akane. Even though he never studied, Akane didn't really waver from paying attention in class. He had learned the hard way to not pass notes to her during said class over a year ago. Not only did it tick off his 'uncute' fiancée but it only added fule to the gossip about him and Akane.

"Aw, common Akane. Do I really have to spell it out for you? Hibiki is dangerous. I figured you would know that considering how uncute you both are." Ranma, as usual, failed to note the reaction his fiancee was having to his reasoning.

With a fiery aura surrounding her she pulled back her fist to let fly. It was only a giggle behind her that gave her pause. Blinking a few times she turned her head to face Rei standing there with a mirthful smirk on her face. "Yep, I'd definitely say love." She said simply. Akane gave a short squeak before jumping to her fiancée's side.

Immediately the two engaged teenagers began their denials, to which Rei simply shook her head. "It doesn't matter to me lovebirds. But I'm going to head out, so if you wanted to walk together a ways lets get going." Rei suddenly leaned forward at the hips and spoke in a hushed tone of voice. "Unless you wanted me to leave you two alone…together?" She finished with a smile.

"I-it ain't like that!" Shouted Ranma. Jeez, can't I get away from this girl? Feels like she's followin me or something! "Besides, why you acting like we are friends?"

"Dunno Ranma, why? Did you want her to wait here for you to finish your detention or whatever it is?" Responded Rei.

"Um, I think we should be going Rei." With cheeks as crimson as Ranma's girl half's hair Akane started to drag Rei out the door.

"A-akane, wait up." Ranma got out after the two had disappeared outside the classroom. Chasing after them he didn't notice the rooms he was running after until a stern and female voice rang out in the hallway.

"Mr. Saotome, did I not say to be waiting outside this room after class?" Ranma froze and turned around slowly to face the foreigner from before. He may not follow the rules to the letter much, but he didn't shirk punishment usually either. Well, when it was justified at least.

"See ya tomorrow Saotome! Have fun with the teach, Ok?" Rei called out from her position of still being dragged along by Akane. Ranma grit his teeth. He was really starting to dislike foreigners.

What was that all about. Rachel wondered absentmindedly. She had just been exiting the Teacher's lounge when Akane had passed the doorway dragging Rei. It was one of those instant déjà vu moments the split second she had seen the girls face. Then the pair had been gone, with Ranma appearing a few seconds later. I know that girl, I think. Maybe an anime or manga somewhere? She shrugged. Either way, she had a student to teach.

Seeing Ranma turn to face her she simply shook her head sadly. "Follow me Ranma, and we will get started on wasting each other's time." With that she started to head down the hallway, with a annoyed student in tow.

* * *

A few moments later had the teacher and the student in an empty science room simply staring at each other. Ranma from his seat at one of the science tables and Rachel leaning back across from him on another. This went on for a few moments before Rachel sighed and walked to the front of the class room to face the blackboard.

"Well, why did you not pay attention Mr. Saotome?" She asked without facing him.

"Huh? What do ya mean?"

The woman sighed again, "In class today you weren't paying attention, remember now? You know, the reason you are here?" she supplied in an annoyed tone.

Ranma shrugged, "I dunno, its just boring I guess." he replied flatly.

Rachel shook her head slightly and walked over to the board. Picking up the chalk she started to write a series of complex equations before turning back to Ranma. "Ok, what did I just write out? Get it right and I swear to leave you alone in class, get it wrong and you promise to hear me out. Agreed?" She gave Ranma a challenging stare. Common Saotome, let me prove them wrong.

Ranma just shrugged and walked up to face the board. It showed a series of numbers and strange symbols that seemed to terminate on one number. "I dunno, what is it?" He said in a bored manner while placing his hands behind his head. Man, don't they ever just give up? He mentally yawned.

Rachel had a wide smirk on her face. "Mr. Saotome, you are telling me that you don't know what it is even though you deal with it everyday as a martial artist?" She gestured to the board, "Give it another try, think about it real hard." With that she walked to one of the science tables and sat on one of it's stools, waiting patiently for her student's reply.

Ranma turned to face the board again, this time a little more seriously. Involves martial arts? How the heck do numbers involve that? After several moments of concentration on the board he turned to face the woman again. "I dunno Miss Hunter, what is it?"

With that admission Rachel grinned like the bird who just ate the canary and got away with it. Reaching beside her she grasped a ordinary ball and reached out to her side. Still holding her smile on Ranma simply let go of the rubber ball and let it bounce away. "Gravity, Mr. Saotome. The formula before you is the mathematical essence of Gravity. With it people have been able to do things as complex as launch a rocket to the moon or a simple as predicting where a paper airplane will fall from flight."

"Heh, well I still don't understand what that hasta do with me. A martial artist doesn't need to understand math to know how to use the Art." Ranma responded defiantly. Rachel shook her head, she had students like this before. Usually from the ones who already knew where they were going and also knew it wasn't going to need a higher education from them to succeed. Or so they thought.

"Tell me Ranma, you are one of the best martial artists around, right?"

Ranma's chest seemed to swell, "Yep, nobody beats Saotome!" He proclaimed to the teacher, causing her to smile once more.

"So someday you are going to teach martial arts to students, right?"

"Well yeah, I'm gonna open a dojo someday." His response was as if the teacher had asked the most obvious question in the world. To this the teacher smiled even more.

"So what would you say to a student who did not want to learn a technique because they would never use it?" She grinned at her student. Gotcha!

"That's stupid! You never know when you might need to know somethin to win a fight!" Ranma burst out. His tone of an incredulous instructor. It took a moment but Rachel could almost see the dim light bulb go off over his head, "Wait, your say'in that…"

Rachel nodded, "Yep, school and martial arts aren't that different. Might even help you on being a better martial artist in the end."

Ranma gave the woman a questioning look before shaking his head. He refused to be defeated that easily. "Yeah right, how is it going to help me?" He challenged the instructor again.

"Simple, and in many ways at that." She began to tick off on her fingers, "Lets look at Math, it helps you do quick calculations to better think about moving through space. Or more tactical ways to approach you opponent. Biology, it helps you know where to hit because you have a better understanding at what it is you are hitting. Geology, to better use the battlefield to your advantage. Social studies, that will let you understand the culture of your opponent. That would let you predict better what sorts of things your opponent might be capable of. Fighting a Russian versus an African, both of which have their own style of fighting. Finally Psychology, that area of study would open up an entirely new way to strike at your opponent without actually having to hit them." Rachel gave a quick wave at her now open hand towards Ranma, "Any questions?"

Ranma was a bit taken aback. His Father had always told him that school was stupid and a waste of time. He claimed that as a father and a teacher he had never needed it so why would Ranma? But she did raise what seemed to be valid points. Hadn't Ryoga's Bakusai Tenketsu technique originated from miners? Maybe, maybe, school might not be so bad. "I dunno, guess I can see yer point teach." He admitted out loud reluctantly.

"Ranma, I'm not saying you have to like school. I never did, and I think most adults will admit that as well. But I've never found knowledge to be useless, after all, I started out as a science teacher. Now though I get to teach English in Japan!" She gave a beaming smile. "Knowledge is a key, the more keys you have to more diverse your life becomes as you open doors you sometimes never know were there. That and with your level of intellect, you will do many great things once you start to take school a little more seriously."

"I guess so." Ranma acknowledged reluctantly.

Giving a quick nod Rachel stood up. "Great! This will give you plenty to think over for the rest of your detention." Still smiling Rachel headed for the door.

"W-wait, what?" Ranma stuttered out.

"Come now, you didn't think your punishment was a simple lecture was it? You still have to make up for wasting time in my class earlier. So you can leave in a half hour, have fun!" With a jaunty wave Rachel shut the door behind her.

Ranma sighed and hung his head. "Never mind. School sucks!" he groaned out. But looking at the board again he decided that maybe he could get something out of it after all. Wouldn't hurt to try right?

* * *

A while later had Rachel standing on the school roof looking out towards the setting sun. She leaned back on the concrete wall and lazily took in the cityscape. "Man, what a rough day. I wonder if he will change for the better though?" She knew she didn't have long to stand around, she still had paperwork and research to do. But this was the only place she could get a few moments of complete privacy. In theory at least.

"Ah, good show today. In fact I think you impressed the boy. Or at least you impressed upon him." The crisp English accent, the vague mocking tone. Rachel grit her teeth as she knew who stood behind her.

"I was wondering when you would show up again. So how much else will you do yourself to get your 'pawn' in play?" Her words laced with venom Rachel turned to see Loki standing in his white business suit. "What next? Am I going to introduce the Emperor to Ranma, or will it be the other way around?"

Loki simply chuckled, undaunted by the hostility in his servant. "Really Miss. Hunter, I get the impression you don't like me very much." He stepped forward and gently cupped her chin in his hand, "Then again I don't need you to. I do what I do to ensure my goal."

"Now what would that be?" The woman challenged him, all the while forcing down the impulse to smack his hand away. Luckily Loki removed his hand and took a step back before bowing.

"Why, to save the world of course!" His voice full of cheer.

"Right, and I got a bridge in Brooklyn to sell to you." Rachel responded under her breath.

Loki chuckled before turning his back on her. Walking over to the fence surrounding the roof he stared out over the city. "Tell me, what do you think you accomplished today?" Rachel knew from the man's tone that it was all business now.

"I planted a seed." She said simply. "The first step to getting close to Ranma I feel is to not try to get to close to quickly." She sighed. "Quite simply, I suspect that the 'affections' of those girls around him has left him leery of the fairer sex. Perhaps if I was a guy I could move faster, but since I'm not…" she trailed off.

Loki snorted before turning to face the woman. "Mortals, so complicated." He said with disdain.

Rachel nodded in reply with a small knowing grin, "Yes we are, some even more so then others." She tilted her head towards the spirit. "What? Think this was going to be done within a few days? I suspect that it will take weeks for me to gain his trust. Maybe if there was some sort of crazy adventure of his soon then…" She trailed off again as she noticed Loki smiling. It reminded her of the smile he had on the bridge a few days ago, cold and predatory.

"Interesting Miss. Hunter. I will need time to think on your words. In the meantime I suggest you work on your abilities, as well as your relationship with Ranma." With that he was gone. It wasn't like the movies where he faded away or disappeared in a cloud of smoke. He was simply present one second and gone the next. Leaving the instructor left behind to sigh and make her way off the roof.

* * *

"So you two don't come back together, this arranged marriage is off permanently?" Rei was shocked to say the least. It wasn't the ultimatum, but simply how much it seemed to affect the girl walking beside her. Akane had seemed suddenly depressed after dragging the American out the school gates. After a few prods the Japanese girl had revealed why. Despite herself Rei found herself sympathizing with Akane. So what do I care? This isn't anything that concerns me! Rei shook her head gently, Never hurts to have someone owe you. Besides, I could use a few friends. She admonished herself mentally.

"Well then, if you want to be together why were you fighting back there?"

Akane seemed a bit uncertain to reveal more, after all this girl was so new. With past history, new girls were trouble in the life of Akane Tendo. "R-rei? How much did you hear?"

Rei grinned, "Something about Ranma saying you are un-cute? Guy must be blind if he can't see your good looks."

"Rei!" Akane blushed a bright crimson. Rei simply smiled more.

"Hey! Its true. If I were a guy I'd go for you. But since I'm not…" She shrugged. "But anyways, I think Ranma's Mom is right. You are going to have to take the first step physically. I'd suggest kissing him, guy doesn't seem to have much experience in anything more than that."

"Oh? Do you think I do?" Rei suddenly was beside an angry woman.

Jeez, hair trigger anyone? "Cool off, I meant that he strikes me as one of the supremely naïve kind of guys. You strike me as someone who at least knows what the grownups are talking about. So all I'm going to say is that you are going to have to break him in slightly. Knock his socks off with a kiss and go from their." Rei supplied with a shrug. It seemed to sooth Akane's anger a bit. Rei saw an opening.

"What about Ranma's sister?" Rei suddenly asked.

"Sister?" Akane seemed off balance from the sudden topic change.

"Yeah, heard that Ranma had this twin sister that alternates between calling herself Ranko and Ranma." She eyed the girl beside her from the corner of her eye, "Kinda weird for parents to name two kids the same name, even twins."

"W-well that's her folks. They do weird things like that." Akane lamely replied with. A giant fake smile

Now why would you lie about something like that Akane? Rei wondered to herself. She smiled as if accepting her response. This is going to make things a bit more fun.

"Well, why you ask her on how to deal with Ranma? She has to know her brother right?" Rei asked nonchalantly. Akane grew flustered before noticing that they had reached the crossroads that separated their paths.

"I-its getting late, and Dad is going to want me to be home soon." Akane hurriedly said before she bowed to Rei. "Thank you for the advice Hibiki, see you tomorrow." Akane then rushed down the street leaving Rei behind.

Rei blinked a few times before grinning. Walking back to her apartment she reviewed what she had learned. Let's see, Akane doesn't want me knowing about this other 'Ranko'. The surprise that she had at the suggestion of Ranma's sister is telling. Not sure what's going on but it smells promising. Rei then thought of how Akane had reacted. Guess I need to be more careful in the future. Rei pondered. She isn't nearly as dumb as she looks. I have to play this carefully, this might be the thing I need to get my revenge.

* * *

Author's Corner

Well another chapter out. I plan to try to get two more out befire the end of the year. Next up, Ranma and Akane's date! ^.^


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